Of Peace and War
by HaveAHeart0301
Summary: When a civil war between the queen and her uncle began, no one expected it to turn into more than a tiny dispute. But after a sage gains possession of a powerful necklace, enemies must band together to stop the destruction of Tellius. L/R, E/T, M/G, A/O.
1. Summa Sedes Non Capit Duos

**Of Peace and War**

_**The tale of rulers and justness; evil and power.**_

**Chapter One: Summa sedes non capit duos.**

_A/N: Well, I thought of this idea and decided to give it a shot. Hopefully it hasn't been done before...I don't remember seeing it, but I'm forgetful, so I apologize if it has. Also, this fic will most likely have a large number of OC's, because, well, it'd be awfully limited if there weren't. I may eventually add a section in my profile for descriptions of all the OC's._

_Anyway, hopefully you'll enjoy the story..._

_--_

Geoffrey regretfully plunged his lance into yet another enemy soldier. He didn't understand any of this; perhaps he never would. But he knew one thing: he would never let the queen be harmed by her uncle or any of his soldiers. It was his duty as a Royal Knight of Crimea. His gaze soon shifted to his left, where he noticed his sister slicing soldiers left and right with her sword. Her image reminded him of the conversation they'd had before she, the queen, and Duke Renning entered the Tower of Guidance.

Geoffrey had seen this civil war coming. He'd had some weird feeling that Renning, who'd been the rightful heir to the throne before his disappearance, would try to steal the throne from his Queen Elincia. But Lucia called him crazy, saying Lord Renning would never do something like that. After all, he'd never even wanted to be King--he'd only accepted because, at the time, his brother, King Ramon, and his wife hadn't had a sufficient heir. But then, now, there was Elincia. His sister had said Renning would never in his life try to harm Elincia. Geoffrey supposed his sister had just said this to calm his nerves, but now they could both see just how wrong she was. However, this was nothing to gloat about, especially when he saw the solemn expression on his sister's face.

He watched as a halberdier challenged her, and she, with one swipe of her blade, took him down. She had a very similar fighting style to that of Duke Renning--which was no surprise to her brother. After all, the former crown prince had been her first instructor in the ways of the sword. His sister turned her head to face him, her long azure hair floating in the wind. He nodded at her, and both continued on their separate ways.

--

The Count of Fayre stood aside from the rest of the troops surveying the battle. Next to him, Duke Renning sat atop his mount.

"So, Bastian, how do things look?"

"Well, Milord, the field fares well, but..."

"Hm?"

"I don't know, Milord... It's just... I suppose uneasy I am about fighting our old comrades... Queen Elincia, General Geoffrey, Sir Kieran...the Lady Lucia..."

"I completely agree, Bastian. However, this is what must be done."

"Milord? I can't quite grasp what you're--"

"You'll find out soon enough. Now, we must ride."

It happened that the two entered the fray and easily took down many of the queen's inexperienced troops.

--

As Lucia took down an enemy wind mage, Queen Elincia landed her pegasus next to her foster-sister.

"Lucia..."

"Oh, Queen Elincia... Are you alright?"

"For the most part."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I'm not physically injured, but... I just can't figure this out. Why would my uncle do this?"

"I'm sorry, Milady, but I can't answer that. To tell the truth, I've been wondering the same thing. Duke Renning...he never wanted to be King. None of this makes sense..."

"You're right...I suppose something will come to us sooner or later."

"Yes, I'm sure it will..." Lucia mumbled, in a tone that the queen noticed was quite sad.

"Lucia, are you alright?"

"Oh, yes, of course. Milady, you don't have to worry about me, I--"

"But I do worry about you, Lucia. You're the closest thing to a sister I have. If anything ever happened to you or Geoffrey, I don't know what I'd do..."

--

As Geoffrey looked up into the darkening sky, he noticed a pegasus knight coming straight towards him. He readied his silver bow and took aim at the unit when he realized it was one of his own soldiers. He rode over to Marcia as she landed a few feet away from him.

"Oh, crackers, Geoffrey! I thought you were going to shoot me!"

"Sorry, Marcia, I didn't realize it was you..."

"No big deal. Anyway, it appears that the main enemy force is retreating."

"Really? That's great news! Has there been any word from the Queen? Do you know where she and my sister are? Or Kieran and the other Royal Knights?"

"No, but I'll help you find them..."

"Okay, perfect!"

The two rode off in search of their comrades.

--

As Elincia and Lucia took out several enemy snipers, the queen spotted two mounted units riding towards them.

"Lucia, is that Geoffrey and Sir Jerrell?"

"Hm? Where?"

"There...in the distance. They're riding towards us. I suppose we should go meet them."

Lucia looked in the direction her foster-sister indicated and her eyes widened.

"Milady! No, don't!"

"What do you mean? What's the matter?"

"That's not my brother...it's Lord Renning."

"W-what?! But--"

At that moment Renning's companion cast a thunder spell at them. Both women were able to easily dodge it, but Elincia nearly fell off her pegasus and Lucia was knocked to the ground, giving Renning time to advance upon them. By the time Lucia was able to get up, Renning and the sage--which she then recognized as Count Bastian--were right in front of them. Oddly enough, both men had dismounted their horses.

"U-uncle Renning?"

"Elincia..."

"W-why? Why are you doing this?"

"Elincia, I'm so sorry... I--"

"Milord, is it really acceptable to socialize with the enemy?"

"No, Count Bastian, it's not, but..."

His voice trailed off as he spotted a knight and pegasus rider headed full speed towards them.

"Bastian, I want you to retreat with the rest of the troops. I'll catch up with you shortly."

"But, Milord!"

"Just go."

"Yes, Sir..."

Renning stared at the two women as the count rode off. He noted the position of the approaching units and realized that they were still far enough away. He still had time.

"Elincia, no matter what happens, you must be strong. Your people need you."

He turned to his niece's bodyguard. Taking her hands in his, he looked her in the eyes.

"Lucia...you must protect Elincia. For me. For all of Crimea. Nothing can happen to her."

He looked back towards his nearing enemies. Noticing their distance from him, he released her hands and remounted his horse. He had to escape. Geoffrey wouldn't hesitate to kill him, they all knew that. Lucia was different...much different.

The duke reared his horse and sped away, from fear of the new commander of the Royal Knights.

"Sister! Queen Elincia! That was Duke Renning...what did he--"

"Geoffrey, I don't understand..."

"My queen, what do you mean?"

"My uncle, he had the perfect chance to kill me. To claim the throne. Yet he didn't...he...he..."

"He what, Your Majesty?"

Receiving no explanation, he turned towards his sister.

"Lucia?"

"Hm? Oh, Geoffrey...I hadn't realized..."

She too trailed off. What was going on with these two?

"Sister! Queen Elincia! Will one of you please answer me?"

"Geoffrey, I'm sorry...it's just hard to explain."

"I understand, Your Majesty, but... What did he say to you?"

"He said that I must live. That Lucia must protect me...for him. It doesn't make sense. Why would he..."

"You Highness, don't fret over it now. You should get some rest. Marcia, will you escort the queen back to the palace? Lucia and I will be along soon."

"Of course. Are you ready, Milady?"

"Yes, I suppose."

Geoffrey watched as the two departed. He then shifted his gaze to his sister, who was still staring in the direction Duke Renning had rode off in.

"Lucia, if you wish to go after him, there's no one stopping you."

"Hm? Geoffrey, what are you talking about?"

"You know exactly what I mean. I know how you feel, and I won't stop you if you want to side with him."

"Geoffrey...that's not... I can't leave the queen's side, you know that."

"I'll take your place. The queen won't mind. You should be with him."

"No, I...can't. I'll protect you and Elincia until the end."

He sighed.

"If that's how you feel, then we should get going."

"Yes, of course."

--

Queen Elincia turned when she heard footsteps coming down the hallway. Seeing her foster siblings, she smiled, much like she would have before the attack.

"There you two are. I was starting to worry."

"There's nothing to worry about, Your Majesty," the blue-haired knight stated. His sister smiled and nodded in agreement.

"If you say so..."

"Milady, have you decided on a plan of action?"

"I think so...I mean, yes. I would like for messengers to travel to Serenes, Gallia, Daein, Goldoa, and Begnion. That is acceptable, isn't it, Geoffrey?"

"You're the queen, Milady. What you say goes."

"I know, but do you think it's a wise idea?"

"It can't hurt anything."

"Lucia, what do you think?"

"I share my brother's feelings on the matter."

"Well then, would you mind traveling with Marcia to Serenes?"

"N-no, Milady. Not at all."

"It's settled then!"

"Elincia, may I speak with you for a moment?"

"Certainly, Geoffrey."

"I'll go pack my things then..."

The trueblade, feeling unwanted by her brother and foster sister, headed towards her room.

"So what is it?"

After making sure his sister was out of earshot, Geoffrey turned back to his queen.

"Well, Milady, there's no easy way to say this, but..."

"Geoffrey, it's alright. You can tell me, ask me, anything."

"Okay, well... Why exactly are you sending my sister away?"

"Oh, that. You know, Geoffrey, you're not the only one that knows. I don't want Lucia to regret her decision, so I'm sending her to see King Tibarn so she'll be able to think about this without my influence.

"After all, if they're on opposing sides of this civil war, they may have to...kill...each other. Do you actually think either one of them could bring themselves to do that?"

"No, I see your point, and I stand by you, Milady."

"Thank you, Geoffrey. You don't know how much that means to me."

--

Duke Renning and Count Bastian walked through the entrance to their makeshift meeting room. As he took his seat, Renning looked around at the various faces--the faces of his allies--seated around the table:

A young-looking woman with deep crimson hair dressed in the robes of a sage-of-sorts, her bewitching light violet eyes staring straight back at him. To her right, a sickly looking dragon with jet black hair looked as if he was barely alive. To her left, the man she traveled with--an odd general with wild orange hair going in all directions.

His gaze shifted to the wolf queen of Hatari. She and her near-silent retainer looked rather impatient. The Serenes prince that sat next to her was serene, as usual.

A dark haired assassin stood aside from the table. Also in attendance was a lime-haired swordmaster, who had come all the way from the desert.

Then there was that evil summoner with an evil smirk on his face.

All present stared at Renning and his advisor intently. When it became apparent that he wasn't intending to address them, the red-haired sage spoke up.

"Duke Renning, do you have in possession what I've asked of you?"

"No, Esmera, I don't. I'm going to need a bit more time."

"Oh really? I don't _have_ much time, so you'd better make it quick. Unless you want me to go myself to get it. I'm sure you know the consequences of that, no?"

"I don't think you have the power or authority to do so."

"Milord, have you forgotten exactly how much power I have? Do not forget, I have the power of a mighty dragon. _His_ power."

She waved a hand towards the dragon at her right, as if suggesting he was her inferior.

"I _need_ that necklace, and you'd better get it for me. If you don't, Parsifal and I shall take action and I _shall_ destroy her. One spell, no hesitation. She'll fall to the ground, and it'll be all _your_ fault."

"Esmera, if you even try to harm her, I'll--"

"You'll what? Do you actually think you could harm me? I think not.

"We're through here. Parsifal, grab the boy and let's go. Duke Renning, get that necklace for me by next week, or she'll have to suffer the consequences."

With that, the woman rose to her feet and walked straight out the door. Parsifal quickly jerked the dragon boy to his feet and followed close behind her.

"Milord, what are you going to do?"

"I suppose I'll have to do what she says, don't you think, Bastian?"

"Yes, I suppose so..."

"In that case, we'll head back to the castle in the morning."

"Duke Renning, what will you have us do?" inquired the wolf queen.

"Queen Nailah, I would like for you and the others to hold this fort. If it falls into enemy hands, we won't have anything left. Volke, I'd like you to keep an eye on Parsifal and Esmera. I'll pay you 30, 000 gold."

"Fine."

"Bastian, you and I will sneak into the castle, get the necklace, and return here."

"Only us, Milord?"

"Yes, it will be easier to avert attention with smaller numbers."

"Oh, yes, of course," he paused. "We won't be harming her in any way, will we?"

"Never in my life would I harm her. You, of all people, should know that."

_I could never live with myself if I allowed anyone to harm her._

_--_

_A/N: Well, there it is! Future chapters should probably be longer, and more exciting, but I hope you enjoyed this nonetheless._

_Well, leave a review if you want (who knows, it might motivate me to update sooner...well, it's possible)._


	2. Frons Est Animi Janua

**Of Peace and War**

**Chapter Two: Frons Est Animi Janua**

_A/N: I couldn't find a good title for this one..._

_But...I finally have the list of OC's up on my page...well, most of them I think. I think I have all the ones from this story up there. Anyway, I gave a nice bit of information away about Lyle, so if you want to look at it, feel free... But anyway, here's the next chapter. :)_

_--_

The hall in which they crept was as dark and silent as they. As they rounded the corner, they stopped at a door and a key was slipped into the hole. With a turn, the lock clicked, giving them entrance. The two men slipped inside, as silent as before, expecting to find a sleeping form upon the bed. Instead, they walked into a bare and clearly unoccupied room.

The Crimean duke turned to his companion, distress clearly showing on his features. The look of despair was shared by his companion.

"Milord, the lady isn't here…"

"As if I couldn't tell that, Bastian! Just look around--maybe she left the necklace around here somewhere."

"Y-yes, Milord."

The two fumbled around the room in the dark for some time to no avail. The item which they sought was no where to be found.

"This is useless…how are we supposed to see anything in the dark?"

"I don't know, Milord. This was _your _idea, after all."

"Well, if it weren't for that crazy woman, we wouldn't be here in the first place."

The two continued to argue and search for what they'd come for when the room was suddenly filled with a bright light.

"Bastian, where'd you get a torch from?" inquired the duke, his back towards the other man and the door.

"Milord…I don't have a torch."

They both spun around on their heels to face Geoffrey, torch in hand.

"Duke Renning. Count Bastian. I figured you'd show up eventually."

Renning eyed the lance in Geoffrey's hand. Of course he'd be prepared. Deciding to travel lightly, the duke and Bastian had only brought a worthless dagger. What use would that be to them? Especially considering it was the Count whom wielded it.

"As we expected you to show up, General."

"Count Bastian, I advise you to leave if you value your life. I don't have anything against you--rather, I have a score to settle with your lord there." stated the young general, pointing his lance towards the older man.

"I'm afraid that--"

"--No, Bastian. That's quite alright. I suppose it's time for me to show this young man why he's never bested me in a duel before."

"Are you forgetting Sienne, Duke?"

"You fool… I let you win that battle so as not to crush your foolish pride, as was pointed out by your own sister."

"Don't you dare say anything about my sister! First you break her heart by causing this pointless war, then you break into her room in the middle of the night! What exactly was your plan, 'Milord'? To murder her in her sleep and steal that necklace? Or--"

"--I would _never _intentionally harm your sister. You don't even understand. I'm doing this--all of this--to _save_ your sister! I love your sister and _nothing_ will ever change that."

He pushed past the general and walked out the way he'd come. His advisor followed after him, half lifeless at the reminder of the fact that the woman he loved had fallen for his lord.

--

"Milord Tibarn, the Lady Lucia of Crimea is here to speak with you," a hawk said, bowing to his king.

"Ahh, thank you Lotz. Please bring her in."

The hawk bowed again, then exited the room. He returned a few minutes later with the blue-haired swordswoman. He then turned and left as the lady bowed before the hawk king.

"Lucia, it's nice to see you again. So tell me, what brings you to Serenes?"

"Well, Milord, as you may have heard, there is currently a civil war within Crimea. The queen's uncle has attacked the castle, demanding the throne. While Queen Elincia doesn't favor relying on help from foreign nations, she believes it would be the best plan of action under the circumstances."

"I see. Well then, as an allied nation, my soldiers and I will head out to Crimea in the morning. That is, if you answer one question for me..."

"Yes, Milord?"

"If Duke Renning has declared war against the queen, why haven't you sided with him? After all, you two are rather...close..."

"That's...I... My loyalty is to Queen Elincia, and I..."

"I understand. As I said, my troops and I will leave in the morning. Until then, you and Marcia may stay here."

Receiving an odd glance from the woman, the king chuckled.

"Janaff and Ulki were able to tell us of your arrival beforehand."

"Oh, so that's how..."

"Yes, now if you'll excuse me, I must prepare for our departure. I'll have Lotz show you to your room."

"Of course. Thank you, Milord."

--

"What do you mean, he couldn't get the necklace?! That fool! Do I have to do everything myself?!"

The sage's violet eyes glowed bright with anger. The messenger felt as if her glare shot daggers through his heart.

"M-milady, I-I'm j-just a m-messenger. P-please, don't..."

"Save it! You're worthless to me now. Parsifal!"

"Yes, Esmera?"

"Take this man to the dungeon!"

"Of course, Milady."

"N-no...please, don't!"

The orange-haired man grabbed the pleading messenger and dragged him off to the dungeon.

"That worthless duke! I never should have helped him! Now I have to go kill that good-for-nothing girl myself! Parsifal! I'll be back shortly. If the duke returns before me, lock him in the dungeon along with all the other worthless souls...that Count Bastian too! And don't let Lyle out of your sight!"

"Yes ma'am!"

_You had your chance, Milord. Now that girl will die because of you. I wonder though, can you live with knowing that, or will it break your heart and spirit? It'll be interesting to find out..._

_--_

"King Skrimir! General Kieran of Crimea's Royal Knights wishes to speak with you!" a tiger stated.

"What are you waiting for then?! Don't test my patience! Bring him in here already!" the king roared loudly.

"Yes, Sir!"

The cat bounded out of the room; soon afterwards, General Kieran entered.

"Kieran! Quick, tell me what brings you here!"

"King Skrimir, sir! On behalf of my royal Queen Elincia, I am here to ask for your aid in the Crimean Civil War!"

"Civil war? What civil war do you speak of?"

"The one in Crimea, sir! Between our devoted queen and her peerless uncle! Both claim the right to the throne, sir!"

"That savage beast! With the claws of your Gallian friends, you will be unstoppable! Master Soren! Order our troops to move out immediately!"

"That wouldn't be a wise choice, Beast King," the raven-haired sage stated bluntly.

"Roar! Do you dare challenge my authority?!"

"I agree with Master Soren."

The three turned to see two more lions enter the room.

"Uncle! What is the meaning of this?! That man, Duke Renning, has attacked his own niece! His skull should be crushed by the claws of the mighty beast laguz!"

"No, Skrimir. This isn't our fight. After all, the duke is a sensible man. He must have some reason for this..."

"But, Uncle--"

"You may be my nephew and the king, but I can see that you still aren't ready to make your own decisions. That's why Master Soren is here. After Ranulf left, someone had to teach you how to make wise decisions. It seems Soren will have to work harder though."

"Yes, sir..."

"For now, Gallia will not take sides. However, to ensure the queen's protection, if Lethe, Lyre, Mordecai, and Kyza wish to travel to Crimea, I see no problem with that."

"Hmph! In that case, I should report back to the queen immediately! Thank you for your time, King Skrimir!"

The red-armored knight left the castle and mounted his horse. Before he was able to take off, however, he was approached by a transformed blue tiger and an un-transformed cat.

"General Kieran!"

"Lady Lethe! Sir Mordecai! What do you need?"

"We're coming with you...if that's alright with you, that is..."

"Of course! Together we will show Duke Renning and his troops the might of the combined forces of both the Crimean beorc and Gallian laguz! Now let's ride! Hahahaha!!"

_Do we really have to put up with this crazy beorc all the way to Crimea?_

_--_

The Greil Mercenaries all sat around a large table with their new leader at its head.

"Okay, I've called you all here to discuss the matter we're faced with: the current war within Crimea. I'd like all of your opinions on what course of action we should take. Titania, as second in command, I'd like to hear from you first."

"Well, I'd say it's in our best interest to aid Elincia. After all, she has supported our company all these years, and the duke did attack _her _without a warning or anything."

"Hm... Rolf? Boyd?"

"Well, Oscar's fighting for Elincia, and I really don't want to have to fight my own brother, so I say we aid them."

"I have to agree with peewee. Elincia's our best bet."

"Shinon?"

"You know what I think? We should remain neutral until someone offers us a huge sum of money. Then, we aid them. This doesn't concern us, and we shouldn't help without some sort of reward."

"Uhh...Gatrie?"

"Ahh, I've heard that the duke's army contains a sage so lovely and fair. With beautiful red hair and deep violet eyes...how could we fight someone like that? Not saying there's anything wrong with Queen Elincia, but..."

"Okay, that's enough. Think of a better excuse to flirt with someone next time... Mia, your turn."

"It makes no difference to me. While I'd prefer not to fight the queen, I'm content with wherever I can find my true rival to duel!"

"Right...uhh...Rhys?"

"Fighting's never a good thing and should be avoided at all costs. Unless put in harm's way, I don't think it would be a good thing to fight..."

"Okay..."

"So Commander, what do you think?"

"Well, it seems the majority of us wish to aid Elincia, and I don't like the idea of fighting the queen and her knights either, so I think we should help her. And maybe if the duke sees just how many troops the queen can gather, he'll decide fighting's not worth it, and we can end this sooner. I'll also be able to heal our allies with my staff, as will Rhys, and more healers are always better."

"Then it's settled. When do we move out?"

"The day after tomorrow. That should give us enough time to get packed. However, I would like to send Shinon and Gatrie to inform the queen ahead of time."

"What?! You've gotta be kiddin' me! I am _not_ going to Crimea!"

"Come on, Shinon. Think of it this way, you won't have to help us prepare everything."

"No, but I'll have the chance at gettin' killed!"

"As a Greil Mercenary, it is your duty to follow the commander's orders. If you don't, I, as deputy commander, will have to--"

"Ah, save the speech, Titania. I'll go, but I'll have you know I'm not happy about it." The sniper turned to Mist. "And you... You're not as bad a commander as that brother of yours was, but you're still not your father. Come on, Gatrie, let's go."

"Whatever you say, Shinon."

--

Lucia sat upon the large bed in one of the many rooms in the newly built Castle Serenes. While the herons preferred to live in the open, Tibarn and the other bird tribes that had settled in their new capital were more fond of living in buildings, no matter how simple.

She childishly toyed with her necklace, much as she had done when she was younger. She allowed one of the tears welled up in her eyes to effortlessly roll down her face and neck. It was such a simple trinket really, but it held so many memories. Duke Renning had given it to her when she was four, saying something about how it would always protect her.

She sighed. None of this made a bit of sense. Her lord loved Elincia, that she was sure of. They were pinned rivals from the moment Elincia was born, but he thought so highly of her. Lucia knew that he was secretly gladdened by her birth. He had confided in her his fear of becoming king; of ruling a nation. Elincia was his hope of not becoming the king.

And then Geoffrey...Lucia knew that he had always envied the duke since he was very young. The position of Commander of the Royal Knights had always been her brother's goal; Renning's position. He'd always considered Renning his practical rival, but even he would do anything to protect the duke--after all, Renning would do anything in his power to keep Geoffrey out of harm's way.

Bastian had always been his right hand man, so there was no surprise that, though he was jealous of the duke for winning Lucia's affections--even if they weren't exactly returned, he would side with him.

Kieran was loyal to Geoffrey, and thus, to Lucia, Elincia, and Duke Renning. Marcia held the royal family in high regards, and her brother was forced to follow suit. Astrid wouldn't be separated from Makalov no matter what anyone said. Oscar had decided to rejoin the knights, much to Kieran's pleasure. All of these warriors had earned Renning's respect.

Then there was her... What he thought of her, she couldn't grasp. She knew how she felt about him, but he never seemed to notice her. He was just so hard to figure out...

"If only I knew how he felt..."

"I presume you mean Duke Renning. If that's the case, he thinks _very_ highly of you."

The swordswoman drew her blade and spun to face the source of the voice. She was shocked to see her sword pointed at Marcia's throat. But wait, Marcia's eyes weren't violet, were they?

"What's wrong, Lucia? It's just me..."

"Marcia, what's going on?"

"King Tibarn said that they're about to leave. I guess he's decided it'll be better if we leave tonight, so we won't be spotted by Duke Renning's forces. Grab your things and let's go."

"That's ridiculous. The bird tribes can't see in the dark. Wouldn't we be at more of a disadvantage?"

"That's what I thought, but orders are orders. You can take it up with him, if you want. You're more in a position to, being a noble and all, but we should go find him."

The pink-haired woman grabbed her arm and bag and dragged her out of her room.

_What in the name of Tellius is going on? Wait, how had Marcia even gotten into her room?_

--

Nephenee twirled her lance as she stood outside Calill's shop. Where was Brom? He was supposed to meet her here over an hour ago.

"I hope nothin's wrong."

"Naw, Nephenee. I was just gettin' us some help."

The girl turned around to see Brom along with Heather, Meg, and Danved.

"And Danved took _forever_ to get ready. But it's nice to see you again, Nephenee."

"Nice ta see ya too, Heather. I think we shud all be goin'. We've gotta help Her Majesty, after all."

"Right ya are, lass."

So the five companions set out for Melior, to lend their help to the queen in her time of need.

--

"Marcia, where are we going? I can't see anything."

The woman tried to find some recognizable object as Marcia led her through what seemed to be a forest--which she could only tell due to the branches scratching her arms and face. Apparently this didn't bother the other woman, as she continued to lead her through.

"It's just a while longer. Ahh...here we are."

"This is...a lake? Why are we here? ...Marcia?"

"Ha! You foolish girl! You'd believe anything someone told you, wouldn't you?!"

Lucia felt like she was choking as the other woman yanked on her necklace. A glowing light appeared around them and she watched Marcia's pink hair be replaced by a deeper crimson color. She gasped.

"You seem surprised, my dear. Weren't you in the least bit suspicious? They say you Crimeans are smart, but I'm really starting to doubt that. After all, look at how big a fool Duke Renning is!"

"Don't you dare say that about Duke Renning!"

She felt the grip around her neck tighten.

"I don't think you're in any position to tell me what to do. I'd kill you right now, but I'd hate to miss that look on his face as he watches me slowly choke you to death. That look will be priceless."

The woman laughed as she yanked harder on the necklace and pulled out what appeared to be some sort of warping staff. Lucia whimpered as she thought about having to face Duke Renning again.

She just couldn't do it...not after all that had happened.

--

_A/N: Well, not the best chapter, but the next one should be good. Also, the scene with Nephenee was probably really bad...I've never been able to write her accent. It's worse than writing parts for Bastian. Ah well._


	3. Amor Vincit Omnia

**Of Peace and War**

**Chapter Three: Amor Vincit Omnia**

_A/N: Wow, it's cold! We're supposed to get like a foot of snow tonight...plus the few inches we already have. It's not all that much, but still. Okay, enough of my rambling..._

_--_

Renning and Bastian sat impatiently in a dark cell, awaiting something...anything, really. When they'd returned from the castle in Melior, Parsifal had locked them in here. He'd said that Esmera would come down to talk with them and decide their fate when she returned from Serenes.

So far they'd been waiting a few hours, pondering over one question. _Why was she in Serenes of all places? _Certainly she couldn't be asking King Tibarn for help. There was no doubt in Renning's mind that the king would side with his niece. There wasn't even the slightest chance of hope for them.

Then he thought of Lucia. She hadn't been in her room, that was true. But why would she be in Serenes? The only thing Renning new that was if she had dared to harm Lucia, she'd have a thing or two coming for her.

--

"Your Highness, King Tibarn of Serenes has arrived," Geoffrey stated as he walked into the throne room.

"Thank you, Geoffrey."

"Would you like for me to bring him in the throne room?"

"No, I will go meet him."

"As you wish, Milady."

The emerald-haired queen was led by her faithful knight to the main entrance of the castle where the bird king was stretching his wings.

"Lord Tibarn, I'm so relived you're here."

"Elincia, as I've said before, I could never let a pretty woman like you down."

They both smiled as Geoffrey rolled his eyes.

"If you'll excuse me, Your Majesty, King Tibarn, I'd like to go speak with Lucia."

"Oh, Geoffrey...Lucia isn't here."

"W-what? What's happened?"

"Well, when my servant went to fetch her this morning, she didn't answer her door. I went in to check on her, and she wasn't there. Her bags were packed up and she was gone."

Elincia sighed.

"Oh, I see. She must have decided to...join my uncle."

"This will make things increasingly difficult."

"No matter, Geoffrey. We'll have to push on. I don't like the idea of fighting her, but I suppose it'll have to be done if this is what she chooses."

"Yes, Milady."

--

The men heard the door slowly creak open. That wicked sage stepped through, twirling some unknown object on her finger. As she came closer and the object was more clearly visible, Renning recognized it as Lucia's necklace.

"Good afternoon, Duke Renning. Count Bastian."

"You... What have you done with Lucia?!"

"Oh, the girl. Right... If you really want to know, I'd be more than happy to tell you."

"None of your games, Esmera. Just tell me what you've done!"

"Fine, fine. Parsifal! Bring her in!"

Renning expected her accomplice to carry in his love's dead body. But when the man emerged, he saw her alive and well. Okay, one out of two wasn't bad. He noticed various cuts and scratches on her, but she was alive.

The crimson-haired woman grabbed the younger girl, a sly smile on her face. Renning stared at Lucia as she looked down at the floor. He had caused her so much pain...why did he have to let any of this happen?

"You may be wondering why I didn't go ahead and kill her when I got her necklace, correct, Milord? Well, that's simple. I just couldn't miss seeing the pain it would cause you to see her die before your eyes. I figured you wouldn't want to miss this moment. Awfully generous of me, no?"

"Esmera! If you even think of harming her, I'll--"

"You'll what, Milord? Oh but wait...you're right. As my employer I can't disobey your wishes. I believe we had a little agreement that went something like 'If I don't kill the girl, you'd get the necklace for me.' Now that I have the necklace, I guess I do have to let her go. Oh wait a minute! You never got the necklace for me! Now I don't feel quite as terrible about slicing her throat!"

"Y-you can't..."

"Oh really? Watch me!"

The sage grabbed her dagger and ran it's blade down the other woman's arm. Lucia shrieked from the pain. Bastian had tears flowing from his eyes.

"Esmera, please... You can't."

She laughed wickedly as she looked over her work, noting the blood dripping onto Castle Fayre's dungeon floor. She once again pressed the knife to Lucia's throat, prepared to kill her. Renning, Bastian, and even Parsifal watched in horror.

"Any last words, girl?"

--

Elincia rubbed her head and Tibarn looked on in shock as Kieran told them his news.

"Is that all, Kieran?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Very well. You may be excused now."

"Yes, Milady."

Elincia shook her head as the knight left the room.

"Don't worry about it, Elincia."

"Lord Tibarn, how can you say that? Gallia refused to give us aid. We could very well have to fight them in this silly war."

"Now you know that isn't the case. Kieran said so himself! Caineghis wishes to remain neutral."

"I suppose you're right..."

He brushed the loose strands of hair away from her face and stared into her eyes.

"Elincia, as I said earlier, everything will be fine. You don't need to worry about this. Your uncle will come to realize how pointless this is in time."

"But what if it's too late? What if something happens to Lucia? Or Geoffrey? Bastian, even! This is all my fault...if I wasn't such a weak ruler, none of this would have happened."

"As was proved in the last rebellion, you are no weakling. None of this is your fault, trust me. Your uncle obviously has some other goal than receiving the throne. You said so yourself...he could have killed you and Lucia when he had the chance. Bastian joined him out of loyalty. And Lucia...joined him out of love. Yes, that must be it. There's no other explanation. You and I both know how that must have broken her heart...seeing her best friend and the man she loved at war against each other. I can just imagine how hard it was for her to leave your side, but that's the choice she made, and now she must live with that decision."

"Tibarn, you're right. Thank you...for everything."

--

"No...I don't."

Esmera looked shocked.

"Oh really? Not even to Duke Renning? Not even a simple 'I love you'? I know how you long to say that...to hear it in return. But he's always been so ignorant of your feelings, you poor thing."

"I...I've already caused him too much pain. Please, just...get this over with."

"That won't be necessary."

All turned to the dungeon's entrance to see Volke, his own dagger to Lyle's throat. Esmera screeched.

"That's right. If you don't let her go, your source of power will be gone."

"You...wouldn't."

"Haha, you shouldn't doubt a professional assassin."

"Assassin?! I thought you were just a common thief! Ugh! Fine!"

She threw the swordswoman to the ground as Volke gave Lyle to Parsifal.

"Let's go, Parsifal!"

"Yes, of course, Esmera..."

The sage grabbed the dragon boy's wrists and led him out of the dungeon. Parsifal followed behind, shutting the door on his way out.

The dark-haired assassin swiftly picked the lock on the two mens' cell and Renning rushed over to Lucia, picking her up in his arms. As he began stroking her hair, he noticed the tears she tried to fight back.

"Lucia...I'm so sorry... I..."

"Milord...it's not...it's not your fault."

She winced from the pain.

"Milord, I'll take Lucia and fetch my mend staff to fix her up..."

"Of course, Bastian. Bring her to my quarters when you're finished."

"Yes, Milord."

The count took Lucia in his arms and dashed out of the room; Renning turned to Volke.

"Volke...thank you so much. Whatever sum of money you wish, I'll get for you. It may take awhile, but nothing's too much. I'm just so relived to have Lucia well."

"No, Renning. I'm glad the lady's safe as well."

"Yes, but, I have to repay you somehow."

"Alright. Promise me that we'll get rid of that barbaric woman soon."

"I'll try my best."

"Good. Now I must be going."

"Yes, of course."

Volke disappeared into the shadows as Renning walked towards his own room. When he arrived, he found that Bastian had beaten him there. The man had left Lucia sleeping on the bed and was now absent.

Renning walked over to bed and sat down beside her. He inspected her arm, noting that Bastian had done a fine job of mending it--not that he hadn't expected that. He'd known that the count would heal the woman they had both fallen in love with. He caressed her cheek as he whispered softly.

"Please forgive me. I know I've caused you so much pain, but if you could somehow forgive me... Lucia, I love you..."

He sighed as he stood up and walked toward the door. He looked back over his shoulder at her before closing it tightly behind him.

--

Esmera rolled her eyes at the scene.

_So he's in love with her eh? Doesn't he realize that that'll only make things easier for me?_

_--_

_A/N: My hand hurts...I hit it on the wall while walking to my room. Okay, that was random._

_And after much debate over whether to turn this into Elincia/Tibarn or Elincia/Geoffrey, I decided to go with Tibarn. I'll probably be pairing Geoffrey with Sigrun or Mist…I'm not sure yet._

_Well, I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. It'll only be a few more chapters until we find out why she wants the necklace so much! I'm sure you're all very excited (and yes, sarcasm)._


	4. Fortuna Non Mutat Genus

**Of Peace and War**

**Chapter Four: Fortuna Non Mutat Genus**

_A/N: Well, as anyone that's read my profile lately should know, I won't be writing fics for much longer (well, the break won't be permanent, at least I hope it won't be). A couple of my fics are being discontinued, but this is one that I'll be finishing up before I leave. Anyway, it's snowing here (Gosh, it's April!) and it's super cold..._

_But for actual notes about the story, I just went through and fixed all the mistakes I could find (the first chapter had me laughing so hard, there were so many mistakes). The chapter title for this one honestly doesn't fit it very well either (at least it won't make sense as of right now), but I couldn't find a proper one. Anyway, enjoy!_

_--_

Awaking from her slumber, the woman pulled her blanket tighter around her body, attempting to block out some of the cold air. She shivered. It wasn't supposed to be this cold in Serenes, was it? She buried herself farther under the covers but the shivering sensation still wouldn't go away.

Yawning, she opened her eyes. Glancing around the room, she realized that she was no longer in Serenes, but Castle Fayre instead.

_Hm, that's odd... When did I get here?_ _Better yet, _how_ did I get here?_

She shook the thoughts out of her head when she noticed a dark-haired man sleeping in the chair over in the corner.

_That's it! It was that woman that brought me here! Esmera, if I recall correctly._

The duke was shivering just as much as she, if not more. Quickly, she placed her bare feet upon the cool stone floor and walked over to where he was sitting, the blanket now in her arms.

Wrapping the cover around his upper body, she sighed in admiration. She ran her fingers across his face, startled by how cold he actually was. She pulled her hand away, out of fear of waking him. But as she did so, the duke reached out and grabbed a hold of her fingers.

The man opened his eyes to see her shocked expression. They stared at each other for a moment, his green orbs meeting her blue ones. The man then got up and walked over to the open window, slamming the wooden shutters closed. Lucia's eyes followed him as he settled back in his chair.

"I suppose that's why it was so cold in here."

She was surprised by the coldness in his own words.

_Well, I suppose I _did_ wake him up..._

Remembering what she had just done, she mentally scolded herself. To actually disturb a member of the royal family? What was she thinking?

"I hadn't meant to wake you, Milord," she eyed him nervously.

"It's...nothing. I'd rather have you wake me up than for you to not be here at all."

Renning sighed as the woman shivered again.

"Come here."

She stared at him in confusion for a moment before she caught on. The woman then walked over to him and almost happily curled up in his lap. He wrapped the blanket around both of them and she rested her head against his chest.

She couldn't help but feel content as he held her tight and ran his fingers through her hair, practically lovingly if she did say so herself. But an ugly fact chose her moment of pleasure to remind her that this shouldn't be happening--they had better things to worry about, after all.

She had so many questions floating around in her mind, and they needed to be answered--_now_.

"Renning?"

"Hm?"

"What's so special about my necklace that Esmera would kill me for it?"

Her lord sighed before staring into her eyes.

"You want the truth?"

"Of course, I can handle it after all."

"Alright then..."

He sighed again before beginning.

--

Elincia sighed in frustration, slamming her report down on the desk in front of her. Turning to the man seated next to her, she shook her head.

"Lord Tibarn, what are we going to do? Without Begnion and Daein on our side, we're at a clear disadvantage!"

He took the emerald-haired queen's hands in his own, still a bit startled by her sudden violent act, and noticed how tiny and frail they looked compared to his own. He shook his own head before answering her previously asked question.

"Elincia, they said they are hoping to remain neutral. They _never_ said that they would fight for Renning. You're just worrying too much, everything's going to be fine."

"How can you say that? For all we know, my uncle could be gathering forces as we speak! Who knows, he could even get Goldoa on his side!"

"Now, please remember, Milady... King Kurthnaga's a sensible laguz. I don't think he'd side with a traitor so easily."

"But...is my uncle honestly a traitor? The throne was his, and...I just don't know. I have no right to--"

"--Elincia, this throne is rightfully yours," he said, gesturing to the overly-decorated chair she sat in before continuing. "You worked hard to get to where you are now, and I'm not going to let you give up after all that's happened. Got it?"

"Y-Yes, of course. You're right, Milord Tibarn...we can't give up now. The fate of Crimea, the happiness of her people, depends on our deeds."

He smiled at her queenly and clearly well-spoken words.

"Well said, Milady. Well said."

--

"Ena, get back here right this instant!"

The pink-haired laguz ignored her king's demand and kept walking through Castle Goldoa's outer grounds. The man shook his head in annoyance as he ran to catch up to the female dragon.

"Ena, please listen to me..." he pleaded, still panting and trying to catch his breath from chasing after her.

"Your Majesty, I'm sorry, but this is something that I must do. Neither you nor anyone else can change my mind."

The black dragon could see the tears forming in her eyes. She looked at him with such sadness, and yet, with so much determination...

"I see. Do what you must, but if you insist on leaving, take Nasir and Gareth with you. They should be more than enough protection for you, correct?"

"Of course. Thank you, Your Highness. Your kindness is beyond comparison. Now by your leave..."

The woman turned to walk away, but her king's soft voice called after her.

"Oh, and one more thing, Ena."

"Hm?"

"Bring my nephew back to Goldoa. Safe, that is."

She smiled.

"Whatever you say, King Kurth."

--

"My necklace can do _that_?!"

The swordmaster was stunned by the tale her commander had just told her.

"Yes, I'm afraid so."

The woman stared at the knight in shock. He couldn't speak the truth...it wasn't possible for her silly little trinket to hold so much power...it wasn't even imaginable!

"Then...why would you give something so valuable, something with so much power, to a little girl? Surely you knew of it's power when you gave it to me as a birthday gift."

"Of course I knew. Don't you see? No one would have suspected someone so young, so innocent, to have something with the power to destroy so many lives."

"Yes, but...what do we do now? If Esmera has it, then can't she..."

"I'm afraid that she can. But as long as we don't allow things to get out of hand, everything should be fine. If she doesn't have enough strength to harness its powers, she can't use it."

"But with the power of a dragon...isn't that enough?"

"Lyle's only a boy. He can't have _that_ much power."

Lucia shook her head.

"Milord, with all due respect, I think there's one little thing you're forgetting."

"Which would be?"

She stared at him in disbelief. Her love interest was a smart man, but what was he thinking? Then again, she supposed that he hadn't been around, or at least not capable of understanding, during the Mad King's War. He hadn't done nearly as much research as she on the dragon tribes either; she was sure of that.

"He's the prince of Goldoa. Obviously he has more power than other dragons. Since he's a child, that means that his energy is just stored in his body, waiting to be released! If Esmera can find a way to tap into that power, if she can find a way to harness it, it will be more powerful than any other weapon!

"If that's not enough, that woman can use him to lure other dragons to use for her evil deeds!"

"Y-You're right... If we allow her to do that, Tellius could be...destroyed."

--

_A/N: I know this isn't that long or that great, but it's a filler chapter from when Lucia was captured until we actually find out what the necklace can be used for (plus I still need to get back into the mood of this story). Honestly, the necklace idea isn't all that original, but I hadn't known this at the time I started writing the fic. I could have discontinued this, but I felt that it was one of the stories that actually had some potential._

_Anyway, the next chapter should be more exciting (there'll be quite a few battle scenes), plus there may even be appearances from more characters--there'll at least be more parts for characters that have been mentioned but haven't done much as of right now. Hopefully I'll have that up soon (which is incredibly likely since I'm working extra hard to finish my fics up before I lose complete interest in them altogether)._

_Also, a little hint for the next chapter...it's going to be called "De mortuis nil nisi bonum," so if you can figure out what that means, you may get an idea of the whole necklace thing._


	5. De Mortuis Nil Nisi Bonum, Part One

**Of Peace and War**

**Chapter Five: De Mortuis Nil Nisi Bonum**

**Part One**

_**Title Translation: [Say] nothing about the dead but good.**_

_A/N: Well, I decided to split this up into parts. This will be part one of the chapter titled "De Mortuis Nil Nisi Bonum" and it should last two or three parts. Anyway, the first scene of this can be blamed on my Physical Science class..._

_--_

"Let's see... Aha! Err, no..." The crimson-haired sage huffed as she carefully set the necklace back on its perspective place on the nightstand. "There has to be some way to use this things power!"

She childishly jumped up and down, clearly out of frustration. Behind her, Parsifal watched her in annoyance.

"Esmera, if I may--"

"Not now, Parsifal! Can't you see that I'm busy?"

"Well, yes, but..."

She sighed as she turned around to glare at her orange-haired companion. Folding her arms against her chest, she shook her head at him.

"Make it quick."

"Of course. Well, if you just take this handy little tool here and clip this just like that..." He demonstrated his intentions by pointing to the places he indicated. The woman gestured for him to go on. "See, if you snip this little piece, then you should be able to separate our solute from the solvent."

She stared at him blankly.

"By that you mean...?"

He sighed and rolled his eyes at the woman. Sure she could think of some crazy battle plans and new torture devises, but she was useless when it came to the art of science.

"You can separate the power from that which dissolves it--the surrounding energies."

"Oh, I see. So what are you waiting for then?"

"Well, I'm not entirely sure if it'll work, but I can give it a try... I'll need something to focus this new energy into though."

The sage laughed wickedly.

"Bring me the girl."

"Duke Renning's girl?"

"Of course! The blue-haired beauty'll be _perfect_ for this!"

"As you wish, Milady."

--

"Why is it so _cold_ in Fayre?" the duke inquired to no one in particular as he pulled Lucia closer to him.

While it was true that the castle of Fayre was fairly close to the palace in Melior, the two had a large climate difference. Melior was usually bright and sunny this time of year, but its neighbor usually exhibited an extra month or so of winter weather.

"Mm, I don't know. Maybe you should ask Count Bastian sometime."

"Milady, would it honestly be so treacherous for one as beautiful as yourself to take care to remember that her faithful count is still present?"

The couple glanced over to where the count of Fayre was indeed sitting in the open window. Lucia shivered from the chilling image and the Gold Knight wrapped the flannel blanket they were sharing tighter around her frame.

"Sorry, Milord, I forgot you _were_ there. Though I honestly don't know _how_ I could forget--you're freezing us to death, after all!"

"Yes, Bastian, can't you please close the window?"

The count sighed as he hopped down from the window, closing its shutters and ending their frozen spell, for the most part.

"Thank you. Now we can get on to more important matters. Bastian, you know of the power Lucia's necklace holds, correct?"

"Well of course! Its power is nearly beyond comparison!"

Lucia titled her head to the side. How was it that Bastian knew of its power even before she? Then again, he _was_ Renning's right hand man. It only made sense for him to know, correct?

Now that she thought about it, it was probably the count's idea to give the trinket to her in the first place--he had always been good at devising a plan hadn't he?

Turning back to the two men in the room she realized that they were now talking about the upcoming battle. Wait, upcoming battle? Now that they had the necklace, they wouldn't need to attack Crimea's queen anymore, right?

Before she could ask these questions, however, the door burst open. A man with the brightest orange hair she had ever seen--the very man that had brought her to Esmera so that the woman could kill her--grabbed her by the wrists and dragged her off of Renning's lap.

The knight jumped to his feet as his beloved struggled to free herself from the man that was pulling her towards the door.

"Parsifal, what is the meaning of this?"

"My master has requested for this girl's presence."

"But to go about it in such a manner? Release her at once!"

"Sorry, but I only follow Esmera's orders. Do what you will to punish me later, but the only punishment she knows is death...or torture, and I'm not willing to risk either of those."

Renning slammed his fist against the brick wall as the general dragged the still-struggling Lucia out of the room. For a man so scrawny in appearance, Parsifal sure did have a lot of strength.

The count and duke glanced at each other for a moment before dashing out of the room after the man. Whatever that wicked enchantress had in store for the Trueblade couldn't be good, and neither of the men were going to risk something happening to the woman they both loved.

--

Parsifal threw the woman to the floor before his master's feet. She grinned at him wickedly, placing her foot on the other girl's back.

"If it isn't the Lady Lucia! I have a few plans for you, sweetie."

She pressed her heel harder against the woman's lower back and glanced over at her accomplice.

"Hold her while I prepare to test out our little experiment."

She handed the swordswoman off to the general who pulled her to her feet. The sage picked up the necklace and pliers and grinned once more.

She carefully used the pliers to snip the area of the necklace that had been previously indicated by the man. As she did so, the object emitted two opposing colors of light. The blue light remained behind, causing the necklace to glow, while the orange one swirled through the air and wrapped itself around Lucia.

The woman fell to the ground as Renning and Bastian rushed in. The duke ran over to where his love rested on the floor and knelt down beside her, picking her up in his arms as the light disappeared. He looked up at Esmera, tears in his usually cold and emotionless eyes.

"W-What have you done to her?"

The woman chuckled.

"Don't worry, Milord! She'll be fine in a little bit!"

"_What_ did you do to her?"

She sighed, rolling her eyes.

"If you _must_ know, our genius here..." she nodded to Parsifal before continuing, "...figured out how to separate the necklace's power from the spirits within! We're just using your pretty little girl to store it in for awhile."

"Y-You can't do that..."

"Ahh, but it's possible, Milord. And now we're intertwined as long as this necklace remains around my neck. Anything that happens to me will also happen to her."

She smirked as she fastened the golden chain around her neck. Renning glared at the pair before walking out of the room, Lucia still in his arms. Count Bastian shook his head before following his lord out of the room.

--

"Your Highness, the Greil Mercenaries are here to speak with you."

Geoffrey bowed before his queen and the king of Phoenicis. Elincia and Tibarn glanced at each other before standing.

"Thank you, General. We'll see them right away."

"Of course, Milady."

Queen Elincia followed her knight, with King Tibarn close behind, to the front gates. When she arrived, she noticed Mist and Titania chatting quietly with Marcia. Boyd leaned against one of the castle's walls teasing Rolf and poking fun at Rhys. _Mia_ was _giggling_ at something _Kieran_ was saying. But where was everyone else?

Noticing the queen and her escort enter, the new commander of the Greil Mercenaries smiled.

"Your Majesty," the girl bowed.

"Mist, bowing isn't necessary, you know that. Everyone, it's nice to see you again. If you don't mind me asking, what brings you here?"

"You mean Gatrie and Shinon didn't tell you that we were all coming?"

"Gatrie and Shinon? I haven't seen either of them in the longest time..."

"Really? They were supposed to...they should have been here by now!"

Mist looked at her companions who were equally as stunned. They had all seen the two men leave...what had happened to them? Their deputy commander shook her head sadly.

"Those traitors..."

"Hm?"

"Oh, Milady, I fear that those two may have gone off to join Duke Renning."

"Well then, we'll just have to make the best of what we have!" Tibarn exclaimed, patting the emerald-haired woman on the back. "Right, Lady Elincia?"

"Y-Yes, of course. Thank you, Mist."

--

"Sure Queen Elincia's a just ruler and all, but Duke Renning's a real ruler! A warrior! He could beat the sense out of Elincia any day!"

A lone boy stood in front of his small class in one of Crimea's finest schools. The said school was a boarding school known as "Tellius's School for the Gifted." Students there were educated in the fine arts and combat skills, among their regular studies.

To earn admittance into the grand school, one must show phenomenal talent in one of the aforementioned subjects--unless you were the child of a noble, that is. Unbeknownst to Queen Elincia, nobles were now able to pay their children's way into the place.

This school happened to be the very one in which Duke Renning had trained young men and women to become fierce warriors before the Mad King's War. It was where the Lady Lucia had excelled in mathematics and sword fighting.

Little did the students know, but their school was actually where the two developed their interest in each other.

"But, Brother! Queen Elincia has General Geoffrey fighting for her!"

Nearly every one of the teenage girls in the room sighed dreamily. The boys only rolled their eyes.

"Girls are so ditsy..."

The girl glared at her brother, opening her mouth to speak once more. Before she could insult him, however, their teacher stood up.

"Okay, class, that's it for today. Now don't forget to work on your research reports on the Crimean Restoration!"

The students grumbled as they slowly shuffled out of the room. The boy who had previously spoken stopped to talk with a small group of mainly boys that had formed in the hallway.

"The plan's still on, right?"

"Yep. Tonight after everyone's asleep, we'll sneak out to head for Fayre. Don't forget your weapons."

All of the members nodded before disbanding and going their separate ways.

--

Esmera glanced around the table at all those she now had in her clutches. The wolf queen, her 'bodyguard,' the heron prince; two former members of the Greil Mercenaries; a desert swordsman, a violet-haired mage, the entire merchant convoy; an old general, two wyvern riders, a skilled Trueblade; and an assassin and a wielder of elder magic. Then, of course, there was Lyle and Parsifal.

She glanced up as Count Bastian walked in with Duke Renning and the now-awake, now-informed Lady Lucia. The three took their seats with the men sending death-glares towards Esmera. The sage just shrugged them off.

"Now that the most important members of our army are here, I suggest we formulate a plan for tomorrow's battle." She looked over at Lucia. "Since you're the only one that has joined over from enemy lines, we'll rely mainly on you. What do you suggest we do?"

"Mm, give me a second to think..."

Esmera impatiently drummed her fingers on the table, waiting for the woman to think of something. Renning glanced at Lucia worriedly. Finally, the woman sighed.

"Okay, the castle is least guarded right before the sun rises. Usually, Kieran is on guard duty with only a few other soldiers. We can surprise them then, and once the sun rises our vision will be improved, allowing us to take them out as easily as possible."

"I see. That is what we will do then. Renning shall lead the main force along with Parsifal. You, Milady, will remain behind as my bodyguard and source of power. Understood?"

Everyone nodded in agreement, or rather, understanding and fear. This caused Esmera to grin.

"Good. Elincia won't know what hit her!"

--

_A/N: Well, I would have had this posted sooner, but thanks to school and other things, I didn't. Speaking of school, we were supposed to have English class yesterday, but our teacher never showed up! Then I took my English test and got every question right! Why is this exciting? Well, this unit was like the first one that I hadn't missed a single point on for this semester! So this week alone I was able to pull my grade up from a 95 to a 97! Okay, no one really cares so I'll stop talking about that and post this now..._


	6. De Mortuis Nil Nisi Bonum, Part Two

**Of Peace and War**

**Chapter Six: De Mortuis Nil Nisi Bonum, Part Two**

_**[Say] nothing about the dead but good.**_

**--**

"Ready are the troops, Milord. Care would you to speak with them before depart we to what our deaths possibly could be?" the blond-haired sage inquired, genuflecting before his lord. When his puzzle-filled question was not answered, he tried again. "Milord, listening art thou?"

"Hm...I should probably have a word with Lucia and the other soldiers before we head out..." Duke Renning mumbled to himself, still gazing across the room at where a certain swordswoman was standing. Looking down, he noticed his right-hand man in a kneeling position on the ground. "Oh, Count Bastian, do you need something?"

The other man sighed, attempting to hide his frustration and disappointment. He replied, "No, sir. Nothing, Milord, at all."

The knight nodded. "I have a few matters to attend to, but first, pray tell me--are the troops prepared for the upcoming battle?"

The sage bit his tongue to hold back what he _really_ felt like saying to the older man, and instead simply nodded his head. He was then patted on the back before the emerald-haired noble walked off in the direction of the woman they had both fallen in love with. Once the member of the Crimean royal family was out of earshot, the nobleman sighed. "Honestly, do not I know why even bother I do..."

"'Tis that way with nobles, I'm afraid, Milord. You...You're an exception though," he heard a feminine voice say from behind him. "Such a shame to have _him_ as our last hope, huh?" she laughed.

Though he already knew whom the speaker was, Bastian turned around to face her anyway. After all, who knew what kind of tricks she would pull if he wasn't observing her closely? But the mere sight of her disgusted him.

Her crimson hair had been parted down the middle and split into two sections of tiny ringlets. Each was tied with a thick piece of black ribbon and laid over her ears, covering them completely. A few stray strands fell loose against the left side of her face.

Her deep violet minidress bore a low-cut V-shaped neckline. Over top of this, a hoodless black cape, which was at least a good foot longer than her dress, was fastened. Black fingerless gloves covered the palms of her hands and her arms all the way up to the elbows. Her black boots had about a four-inch heel, making her nearly eye-level with the tall count.

She had formerly dyed her lips and nails with a reddish stain--presumably blood, as she was known among the troops to do such things.

Despite all this, her most shocking features--at least to the man--were her bewitching lavender eyes and the necklace around her neck. Off of the small gold chain of the trinket hung a pale purple amulet, which was slightly glowing a rich blue color.

A wicked smile danced upon her lips as she noticed the man's eyes narrow upon seeing the piece of jewelry sitting around her neck. "Now I suppose you'll have to actually value my life, won't you, Count? We wouldn't want something to happen to our precious Countess Delbray after all. I've granted her her life once, but don't think I'll do it again," she smirked.

Bastian sighed, "Esmera, please. Things to do have I, so if purpose you have in speaking with me, pray tell."

"Of course I have a reason for coming over here! Do you think I would do this just to annoy you?" she pouted.

"Well, the type you are to such a thing do..." he mused.

"Listen, and listen carefully," she demanded, pushing Bastian against the wall. He winced a little from the contact of his back upon the rough bricks but soon brushed it off. Esmera continued, her hand still holding the struggling magic-wielder in place. "I want to make an offer with you. When this civil war is over, I want you to take the life of whoever is on the throne of Crimea. If you do this, I will make you king."

Bastian looked at her in disbelief. "You're a madwoman! What on Tellius would make you believe that I would do such a thing?!" he exclaimed, all of his flowery speech disappeared, as he attempted to break free of the woman's grasp.

She grabbed him by his collar, now glaring at him by this point. "You said you would do anything in the best interest of Crimea, did you not? Elincia's too young to rule; the populace doesn't accept her--they've already proven that. Renning doesn't know a thing about running a country; he'd probably turn your beloved Crimea into a military nation," she paused for a moment. "Besides, the king can have _anything_ he wants," she said, gesturing towards Lucia.

"Something there is that forgotten you have. If Renning becomes king, there isn't a doubt in my mind that he would choose Lucia as his bride. If to kill the ones in power I shall, then she would perish as well."

She grinned, "No, that is what we hope for." Upon receiving a confused glance from the count, she elaborated, "If you kill Renning, our little queenie will be devastated. She'll need someone to comfort her, now won't she? During this time, she'll slowly fall in love with you. When you ask for her hand in marriage, she'll say yes, and you'll be guaranteed the throne. Then you two shall rule together in peace--without the _real_ Crimean royal family to disrupt things, as they always have. You see?"

Bastian slowly nodded his head, still shocked from what she had suggested. When the count made no further reply, Esmera continued, "I know it's a lot for you to think about right now, Bastian, but give it time. Think it over for a fellow sage, okay?"

"Are not a sage are you. If anything, monster should you say," he retorted.

"I wouldn't go so far as to say that," she shrugged as she said this, "but if you want to throw around such nice compliments, I don't mind." She winked at Bastian as he stood there stunned. He silently watched as she walked away from him, disappearing into the next room.

_A woman that would think such a thing must have lost all sanity,_ the count thought to himself. He then sighed as he glanced across the room at his love and Duke Renning. _Yet still, might the reward be too much for me to ignore..._

_--_

"Morning, Milady," the duke chirped, placing a kiss upon the lady's hand.

Lucia shook her head sadly and sighed. "Lord Renning, you've been spending much too much time with Bastian."

He chuckled, "Much too much? Maybe Bastian's rubbing off on all of us."

"Oh goddess, no!" she exclaimed, glancing over at Bastian, whom was speaking with a certain sage. She turned back to Renning. "Renning, why is Bastian talking to Esmera?"

"I don't know, sweetheart. They're probably going over battle plans or something," he answered.

She nodded. "You're right." She wasn't quite sure whether or not she believed that, but it would have to work for now. Now, it was time for them to depart.

--

Renning handed the reins of his mare to Count Bastian, whom looked very nervous by this action, as the duke stepped before his troops. All the soldiers stood before him in rows, with his most important officers in front. As he walked up and down the line, he glanced at the faces of those before him. Esmera stood with a content smile on her face; Parsifal was emotionless, his left hand holding onto the sickly dragon boy, Lyle. Queen Nailah, defiant and ready to attack; the serene Rafiel; Volug, arms crossed over his chest. The marksman Shinon stood as far from the three laguz as he was permitted; next to him, Gatire stole glances at the red-haired wyvern lord next to him. Jill stared at her new commander intently, while her husband sent a glare in the direction of the blue-armored knight.

Further down the row, Zihark fidgeted with the hilt of his sword. Stefan watched the actions of his fellow Trueblade closely, an amused smile on his face. Renning twitched at the sight of _Izuka_ whispering back and forth with an old general, Tauroneo's annoyed eyes betraying the smile on his face. Ilyana looked as if she was about to faint as she glanced over at her friends in the merchant convoy, who were standing off to the side of the troop formation.

Renning shook his head at the sight at the end of the row. A certain blond sage was struggling to keep the duke's mare in check. The horse was whinnying wildly and working to break free from the nervous-acting man. Lucia shook her head at the sage's attempts and took the reins from him, running her fingers through the steed's mane to calm her. Volke paid no attention to any of these actions, his sole purpose for even being there just being to get paid.

The man returned to the front of the troops and cleared his throat. "As you all know, we will be leaving in a matter of minutes to challenge the troops of my niece, the Queen Elincia. While it may be true that she has some of the most experienced troops in all of Tellius, I have faith in all of you. Through your determination and hard work, you can achieve anything you set your mind to. Today, I ask that you use that power to help me achieve my goal.

"I know that many of you haven't fought a battle in your entire life, but do not let that discourage you. I will not allow this to become a suicide mission by any means. If you find yourself not able to go on, pull back and allow our more skilled officers to take control. Your life is more valuable to me than you may think. This shall once again be said: what is kingdom without its subjects? In such a country, the word 'king' is merely a title; there is no further meaning.

"So today you will fight not only for me, but for yourselves, those dear to you, the whole of Crimea, and your future. Most importantly, you will fight _well_," the duke demanded, concluding his speech. The room was then filled with a mixture of cheering, clapping, shouting, and howling, creating a deafening noise.

"And now for our battle plan," Renning continued. "Lucia, Bastian, if you would..."

The two nobles nodded and the duke rejoined his troops, taking the reins of his mare and sending the two to the front to speak. Once he made sure that he had everyone's attention, Bastian began explaining the battle plan.

"In under an hour we shall depart on our journey of righteousness to liberate the sweet land we so proudly call Crimea. Though long influenced by malefactors with destruction as their only goal, once again shall our beloved homeland be awash with tears of joy and laughter shall be abundant in our newly freed land. On this fine day, the Duke Renning of the noblest house of Crimea shall lead us to victory and thereby free the good people of our land. Huzzah!" Making a flourish with his cape, the count ended his overdramatic speech.

When all of the troops gave each other confused glances, the woman next to Bastian spoke up, attempting to explain exactly what he was talking about. "What our dear Count Bastian means is that we'll be leaving shortly to what will most likely be our final battle. The rest of what he said was basically...well...useless," Lucia concluded, awkwardly scratching her arm. Turning to Bastian, she whispered, "Maybe I should take care of giving the battle plans."

He nodded. "As you wish, Milady."

Turning back to the troops, she sighed. "So we'll be leaving shortly, as the castle is least guarded before the sun rises. Our enemy commander will be Kieran, or at least should be since he is normally on guard duty at this time. This does not, however, mean that we won't also have to battle my brother and the queen.

"The plan is to have Lord Renning and Sir Parsifal lead our main force, which will charge through the main entrance. Queen Nailah, along with Volug, Prince Rafiel, and the rest of their group, will follow close behind, and Ilyana, Izuka, and their mages will provide fire support. Zihark, Stefan, and Bastian will make attacks from the left side, creating a bit of a distraction. The three will take off down the hill, where Tauroneo, Gatrie, Shinon, and their teams will be waiting as backups.

"Haar and Jill, along with their dracoknights, will fly above the battle collecting information on enemy formations, while also battling any pegasus knights and bird laguz that the queen has recruited. Our distraction serves as a way to get some windows of the castle unguarded, allowing Volke to slip inside and capture the queen. No one is to kill the queen, my brother, or King Tibarn--they must be brought to me, Esmera, or Lyle alive. Understood?"

The room echoed with "Yes, ma'am's" as she finished. Noticing the gesture Renning was making, she quickly added, "Don't die on us and everything will be fine."

--

The Crimean duke leaned against the wall, intently watching Bastian and Lucia. The two were polishing weapons and dusting off spell books, which would later be distributed among the troops. This task had been assigned to the three of them, but the other two nobles refused to allow their 'superior' to help--stating something about him needing his rest. So instead, he watched as they went about their work.

Bastian dusted the tomes and set them in neat piles: tomes of the fire family, followed by a pile of those of the thunder family, then those belonging to the wind family completed the anima stacks. Light spells sat in their own pile, and next to them the few elder magic tomes sat. Lucia polished and sharpened swords, axes, and lances; and collected arrows, knives, and staves.

Vulneraries, elixirs, and other items sat against the walls, ready to be used. Every once in awhile a troop commander would wander in and pick up their soldiers' weapons, along with enough vulneraries for everyone, one elixir, and laguz stones if they commanded any laguz troops. The majority of them would also take an unlit torch to use after the attack began.

_With all luck all the troops will somehow survive this attack, and no one will die in this pointless war. Then our plan to get the necklace away from Esmera can be put into effect, and she can be killed without anything happening to Lucia. My niece can keep her throne, and I can go back to living as a knight...with Lucia by my side,_ Renning thought. _That is the plan, and I hope it works._

His thoughts were interrupted by the harsh voice of one of his commanding officers. "Renning, you have to come see this. There are these fools outside wishing to speak with you--just wait 'til you see 'em out there about to make idiots out of themselves," he laughed.

The commander turned around to see a red-haired marksman, the one they called Shinon, if he wasn't mistaken. A smug grin played across the bow-wielder's face as he stared back at the duke. The man replied, "I'll see to it right away."

Once the duke had left, Shinon found himself face-to-face with Lucia. The woman glared at him, obviously angered by something. The sniper rolled his eyes and sighed. "What do _you_ want?"

"As if you didn't know. Don't you think you should show some respect for those superior to you? You know, know your place?" she questioned.

"Ha! Like you do?" he shot back.

Her glare intensified. "And what is _that_ supposed to mean?"

"Oh nothing," he paused. "It just seems like someone that should 'know their place' wouldn't be following after their commander like a lovesick puppy and distracting him," Shinon taunted.

"Wise it would be to mind your own business, good sir. Fond Duke Renning is not of arguing, and tolerate he would not if someone insulted the Lady Lucia," Bastian commented. Turning to Lucia, "Now, best I think it would be for us to step outside to see what all this commotion is about."

She sighed as he offered her his arm. Taking it, she agreed, "You're right, as usual, Milord."

--

"Lucia, Bastian, I'm glad you're both here," Duke Renning noted as the two nobles walked up behind him on the balcony. The two surveyed the scene below with confused looks.

"Lord Renning, why are there a bunch of...children...in front of the castle?" Lucia asked, turning to glance at the man to her right.

"I was just wondering the same thing, Milady," he replied. "I suppose we should go downstairs and find out, don't you think?"

"'Twould be a fantastic idea, I believe, Milord," Bastian commented. Lucia nodded her agreement and followed the two men back into the castle and down the stairs to the first floor. When they made it through the doors of the main entrance, they were greeted by a crowd staring at a group of roughly fifteen teenagers.

Upon seeing Renning, the boy that could be presumed to be their leader stepped forward. He was almost a foot-and-a-half shorter than the duke and had jet-black hair, sky blue eyes, an avocado-green tunic, and an iron sword strapped to his side. He did not bow as he approached the lord but crossed his arms across his chest instead.

"Duke Renning, right? The name's Aaric," he stated.

"I see, Aaric. Nice to meet you," the noble said, offering his hand to the boy. After the teenager shook it, he continued, "Where are you from?"

"Originally, Begnion, but I just came from Tellius's School for the Gifted," he replied. "We heard that you were going to be fighting the queen, and we came here to offer our assistance."

"That's surely a nice gesture, but I can't allow it. You're only teenagers, and--" the man was cut off before he could finish.

"So? You know how good the students of our school are! You taught there once! We're better than most adult fighters!" he huffed.

"I know that, but I still can't allow it. Anyone that hasn't graduated from the school yet is not allowed to fight in an army unless there's an emergency. You still have much to learn before you are ready to take on something so important," Renning reminded him. "And this...is in no way an emergency."

"Aargg! You nobles are so--" he was cut off when a slightly younger girl stepped up from behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder. The girl looked to be about fifteen and was a couple inches taller than Aaric. A mass of deep violet hair fell below her waist, and her eyes were a cat-like yellow color. She wore the light grey garb of an assassin-in-training and had multiple daggers sheathed around her waist.

"Aaric, please, just listen to the man. You know the rules, and you know that if he allowed us to fight for him he'd likely be executed. What good would defeating the queen be then?" she hissed.

"I guess you're right, Madelyne, but I still don't think it's quite fair," he pouted.

Madelyne shook her head and then turned to Duke Renning. "I'm sorry for disturbing you, Milord. Since you have no need of us, we'll just be on our way." She smiled politely and curtsied.

"Of course. I'm sorry that we couldn't help you, but I think you understand."

"Oh, yes, Milord. We were foolish for even thinking you would do such a thing. We'll just be on our way now," she laughed, grabbing her companion's arm and dragging him back to their group.

Once they were out of earshot of the crowd, Aaric leaned over to Madelyne and whispered in her ear, "You're not serious about this, are you?"

"Of course not!" she chuckled. "Once they leave, we'll follow them."

--

The troops had moved out of their base awhile ago, and were now headed towards the capital city of Melior. Renning lead the troops, and Queen Nailah followed them up from the back. To the duke's right, Esmera rode on a pure white stallion with golden eyes. To his left, Lucia urged a chestnut Lokai on its way. Bastian clutched on to Lucia for dear life, his Equinophobia showing through.

_Equinophobia...what a convenient excuse..._ the duke mused. _Now if only--_ His thoughts were interrupted by a loud shriek in the background. He halted his mare for a moment and turned her around, to be met by an approaching group of three dragons. _Is that a...pink...dragon? And a white and a red dragon as well? Such an odd--_

"Lyle!" the female dragon exclaimed as she untransformed.

The black dragon blinked a moment after hearing his name. "M-Mother?" he called.

"Lyle! I'm so glad I found you!" she cried, running towards her son and Parsifal.

"Stay back away from my prey!" Esmera hissed, moving her stallion in between the two dragons. "He's mine now, and you'll only get him back after we win this war."

Renning stepped in; glancing at the sage, he scolded her, "Esmera, you can't do that."

"Oh, really?" she questioned, using her nail on her own skin and drawing blood. As Lucia shrieked in pain, Esmera smirked at the duke. "Oops, I forgot what would happen if I did that! Sorry, Milady," she spat sarcastically. "Apparently our _darling_ Duke Renning did as well!" Turning back to Renning, she laughed. "You were saying, Milord?"

"If you do not return Lyle to his family, I will--" he was cut off by hysteric laughing on Esmera's part.

"Are you...sure that...you want to...say that?" she managed between laughs. "We wouldn't want something to happen to our new love interest, would we?"

"And still, I cannot allow you to keep--"

"Milord Renning, it's quite all right. I...I will fight for you," the dragon girl stated.

"As will I," began the white dragon. "My great-grandson must be saved."

"I feel the same," the last, the red dragon, added.

"Perfect, perfect, perfect! Now I will have four dragons at my disposal! Elincia's in trouble now!" Esmera exclaimed, cackling. The majority of the soldiers just rolled their eyes as they were forced to continue on their way.

--

After awhile of more traveling, there was one thing that was really starting to bother Renning: the fact that Lucia wouldn't look at him. As far as he knew, he hadn't personally done anything to hurt her, and he doubted she was upset with him over what Esmera had done.

When he could bear not knowing what had made her so upset any longer, he pulled his horse up alongside hers and bit his tongue to keep from laughing at Bastian, who looked like he was about to be sick. "How are you holding up, Count Bastian?"

"As well as could be...expected..." he replied, tightening his grip around Lucia's waist.

Renning ignored the sudden tinge of jealousy he felt and instead glanced at Lucia's arm that had been injured by Esmera. "Milady, did Bastian heal your arm?"

"Hm? Oh, no, he didn't. Why?" she inquired.

"There isn't even a scratch on it..." he mumbled.

"I know, it's odd. I felt the pain, but it didn't bleed or anything. You couldn't even tell that she had done anything to me."

"That's...odd," he paused. "I'm sorry that she hurt you--I didn't even think about it," he admitted.

"It wasn't your fault, Milord," she stated matter-of-factly.

This was followed by a long, awkward silence until the woman sighed. Her lord glanced over at her in confusion. "What's wrong, sweet--I mean, Milady?"

"Milord...Renning, I am so sorry," she whispered.

"Sorry? Lucia, you don't have anything to be sorry for..."

"Renning, I lied to you. This...this isn't the time when the castle is least guarded; it's...when it's the most heavily guarded. I-I'm sorry, but I couldn't allow the queen to be harmed..." she explained, looking away from him.

The duke reached over and turned her head back around, stroking her cheek affectionately. "Lucia, thank you...thank you for protecting my niece."


	7. De Mortuis Nil Nisi Bonum, Part Three

**Of Peace and War**

**Chapter Seven: De Mortuis Nil Nisi Bonum, Part Three**

_**[Say] nothing about the dead but good.**_

_**--**_

"General Geoffrey! A band of soldiers has appeared from the west--it appears to be Duke Renning's army!" one of the castle's scouts reported to his commander.

"Thank you, Bernard," the general stated before turning to the rest of the army. "Men! Now is the time. We shall fight to protect the queen with our lives. No matter the task, we must succeed!" he shouted.

"Yes, Sir!" the whole line of soldiers yelled in unison.

Geoffrey began to bark out orders. "Paul, please inform Queen Elincia and King Tibarn that the battle emerges. Eugene, rouse Kieran and demand that he and all of his soldiers head out here fully equipped in a timely manner. William, ready the queen's pegasus," he commanded.

After the three men had gone off about their duties, the commander continued, "Now, this battle ahead will be tough, I have no doubt about that. Duke Renning is an able commander, as I'm sure you all know--most of you have fought under his leadership before. Those of you that haven't have probably heard stories about his valor, chivalry, and kind heart, however, do not let that fool you. He has attacked us, not the other way around. He is in the wrong, and now we must protect our queen.

"This will be no easy task, defeating the duke's army. You will meet many familiar faces, possibly your own siblings or cousins. Attacking them will be hard, I know, but remember...they chose their path, and you have chosen yours. Whatever fate has in store cannot be stopped, so I ask you to fight with all of your might.

"There is one thing that I will ask, however. Some of those familiar faces you will see belong to those of our Crimean court. If you spot Count Bastian, Lady Lucia, or Duke Renning himself, do not approach them. It's unlikely that you will stand a chance against these war-hardened knights, and I find it best if we could talk to them before they meet their deaths--in hopes of avoiding that situation. Bastian will forever be loyal to Crimea, and I have no doubt that my sister would be able to sway Duke Renning into choosing another path, one that prevents more bloodshed. Leave these three to me and some of our other veterans--keep your life intact...for the sake of your families, as well as the welfare of your country. That is all I ask of you," he finished, gripping his lance tighter.

As soon as he was finished, Queen Elincia graced them with her presence, her elegant white robes swaying as she made her way down the steps to the lower level of the castle's grounds. Behind her, King Tibarn drifted above the ground, his two advisors at his heels.

"Battle time, eh, Geoffrey?" the hawk laughed as he landed next to the man.

"Yes, Sir, it seems so," the general grunted, failing to hide his annoyance with the man.

The king raised an eyebrow at the response, but luckily for Geoffrey, Elincia spoke up before anything else could be said on the matter. "It's my uncle, isn't it? Has Lucia been spotted with him?"

"I can't say, Milady," her foster-brother answered.

The king spoke up, "Janaff? Ulki? Do you know of the answer?"

"I believe I hear her voice... Duke Renning asked her how her arm was feeling, and she told him that it felt fine," the king's ears answered.

"Yes...that is her. I'd know those gorgeous blue locks, that perfect smile, and those rosy lips anywhere," Janaff sighed. "Not to mention that devoted stare to _Renning_," he added, scowling.

Geoffrey rolled his eyes, ignoring the hawk's comments about his sister. "Now that that's out of the way, Milady, are you ready to discuss the battle plan?"

"Oh, yes, of course, Geoffrey," she answered.

"Okay, everyone, listen up. Our main goal will be to defend. There is no use using up all of our energy to attack, thus leaving the queen vulnerable, when we could leave the formation here and protect her at all times. Kieran, the fifth platoon, and I will guard the main gate. I'd prefer to have Sirs Jerrell and William guarding the left gate; Sirs Eugene and Paul, the right gate. Your Highness, do you intend to fight?"

"Of course I do. This is my battle, so I can't leave you all to fight it alone," she remarked.

"I see. Well, I'd prefer for you to act as a long-distance healer, as you should be able to heal the majority of our units. Greil Mercenaries, you'll be her bodyguard force. It would also be best if Leanne and Reyson remained in your area, to prevent injuries to them.

"Oscar, Astrid, Makalov, and their knights will be part of the main force. Muarim shall help with the left gate; Mordecai with the right; Lethe, the main. Pelleas and Tormod will wait at the queen's position, acting as more long-range healers. Brom and Nephenee will help hold the left gate; Meg and Devdan, the right.

"All flying units, including King Tibarn, Lords Nealuchi, Janaff, and Ulki, and Ladies Marcia and Vika, will fly over the battlefield in an attempt to reach one of our former allies. They will also be on the lookout for any long-range magic-wielders to strike down before that foe is able to attack," he finally finished.

"Sounds like a plan," Tibarn piped up as he placed an arm around Elincia. "Don't you think, Lady Elincia?"

"Of course, Lord Tibarn," she murmured. "Now, everyone, the enemy approaches. You'd do well to remember what General Geoffrey has told us, and, above all else, remember to be safe. There's no turning back now."

--

"Geoffrey, may I speak with you for a moment?" the general heard a feminine voice from behind him as he saddled up and prepared his horse.

"Hm? Oh, Mist?" he mused, turning around to face the brunette. "What is it?"

"I just came to, you know, tell you to remain safe on the battlefield!" she squeaked. "No, that's not quite it. I wanted to make sure, that, um...you didn't need anything before the battle begins!" she tried once again.

"Thank you for your concern, Mist, but there isn't anything I can think of that I'll need," he answered politely, seemingly not annoyed that she was taking up his valuable time before the battle.

"Oh, well, sorry to have bothered you then..." she sighed, half-heartedly. "I'll just be on my way..."

"--Wait, Mist, you don't have to...I mean, I'm not really busy, so if you want to chat, there isn't any harm in it."

"Oh, great! Well, I mean great that you're not super busy or anything... Ahm..." she trailed off, not really knowing where to go with the conversation.

"So..." Geoffrey began, searching his mind over for a topic for them to discuss. "How's the mercenary company going, you know, since Ike left?"

"It's okay, I guess. We get a lot more work now, but I guess we are pretty famous, aren't we?" she giggled.

"Mm-hm, that is true. I bet it's a lot tougher running the company than it was just being a part of it, correct?"

"Well, we all have to do our parts and try to help each other out and all that... Okay, yeah, I suppose it is a lot harder," she admitted.

Geoffrey chuckled. "I know what you mean. Ever since I started training with a lance, all I wanted to do was become commander of the royal knights. It was like the dream job for all of us new recruits, but I felt like it was really what I was meant to do. So I trained hard for it, all the while seeing the glory and admiration that was thrown on Duke Renning, but now...it just doesn't seem the same, you know?"

"Everything always seems better until you actually get it...that's what Mother used to say...or at least it's what Father told me she always said..." the girl trailed off, glancing at the ground with downcast eyes. "You know, I just remembered something I need to do before the battle starts. See you later, Geoffrey," the healer sobbed as she ran off back into the castle before the man could even comment.

_Mist, I'm sorry for all the pain you've been through. If there was some way I could erase it, I would. I would do anything for you, just to see you smile..._

_--_

"Oscar!" Rolf exclaimed, running into the arms of his older brother.

"Come on, Rolf, aren't you getting a little too old for things like that?" Boyd teased, coming up behind his younger sibling.

"Whatever, Boyd," the lime-green haired youth said, rolling his eyes. "At least Oscar knows _I_ care about him."

"What's that supposed to mean, peewee?" the forest-green haired Reaver questioned, leaning on a nearby tree.

Rolf folded his arms across his chest and gave out an exasperated sigh, "Boyd! What have I said about calling me peewee?"

"Don't know, don't--"

"Okay, both of you, please! We're about to go into a battle, do you really think this is the best time to be arguing?" Oscar chimed in, interrupting the sentence Boyd was uttering.

Rolf frowned. "No, I guess not. Sorry, Oscar...Boyd too, I guess."

"Yeah, sure, pe--I mean, Rolf," the axe-wielder corrected himself.

"You'll never learn," the Marksman laughed at his older brother's expense.

"Rolf," Oscar warned, "this isn't the time for that. Is there something you needed?"

"Oh, yeah! I nearly forgot!" Rolf exclaimed while pulling the bag off of his back and searching for something inside. "Here, this is for you," the boy said, handing _Rolf's Bow_ to his eldest brother.

"Hey, nothing for me?" the middle sibling asked, offended.

"Um...let me see..." the youngest said, rummaging through his bag. "Oh! There's this..." he laughed nervously, handing a broken bow string to his brother.

"Oh, _thanks_. Just what I've always wanted," Boyd exaggerated while looking at the string. "Oscar always gets everything," he mumbled, causing the other two brothers to break out in laughter.

--

"Is your arm still feeling fine, Lucia?" Lord Renning inquired as he pulled his horse over closer to the woman's.

"Yes, thank you, Milord," she replied, blushing. "You don't have to worry about me," she added.

"Oh, but I do. I'll always worry about you. The goddess only knows when I'll have to save you from an exotic sea monster or rescue you from Bastian or--"

"Renning!" she tried to control her laughter. "You know that isn't funny."

"Oh, but it is. If it wasn't, then you wouldn't be laughing so," he teased.

"That's not...you know what I meant..." she trailed off. "Do you think..."

After a moment of silence, the knight spoke up. "Do I think what, Milady?"

"It's nothing..." she sighed, turning away from her love.

"Lucia," he pleaded, reaching over and grabbing her arm, "please tell me what it is."

She sighed and turned back around to face him. "Do you think...do you think that my brother will be safe?"

"Of course he will; I'll make sure of it," he assured her, running his fingers through her hair once, then returning his hand to the reins.

"And what of my soldiers back in the army? They all trust me. What if I have to...kill...one of them?" she whispered.

"I won't make you do anything you don't want to. If it comes down to it, send them to me. Your happiness means more to me than my own life, so none of it will matter," he murmured reassuringly.

Lucia shook her head. "Lord Renning, if anything happened to you, this would all be in vain. All this fighting...all this war and heartbreak..."

"It's all in vain anyway, I'm afraid," the knight sighed.

The swordswoman looked at the man intently. "What do you mean by that?"

"You'll...find out. I can't speak about it when the other troops might hear, but you'll know of it eventually. I'll apologize to you in advance though, because I doubt you'll be happy with my decision..."

The azure-haired woman looked her lord in the eyes. "Renning, I'll stand by you no matter what. You'll never have to worry about that."

"Thank you, Lucia, and I promise the same."

_I couldn't live with myself if I ever disappointed you..._

_--_

"Ready for battle, Lady Elincia?" the hawk king inquired as he flew up behind the Crimean queen, who was staring at her unsheathed blade.

"Y-Yes, I suppose," she answered half-heartedly, her hazel orbs still fixed on the royal Amiti. "You know, I had hoped to never have to use this again...I feel like I've said that too many times though," she muttered, her eyes never leaving the sword.

The hawk sighed and placed his hand on the woman's shoulder. "Elincia, you're worrying about this too much. Your uncle will come to his senses."

"What if it's too late?" she sobbed. "What if something happens to Lucia or Geoffrey before that happens? Or Bastian? Or...you?" She looked away as soon as she said this.

"That's the chance we all have to take, no matter what we are doing. Something could happen to any one of us at any moment, no matter how we try to prevent it. You can't do a thing about it except live while you can," Tibarn stated, shaking his head sadly. "You know what I mean, Milady?"

"Yes...I think I do, actually. It all makes sense now. Thank you, Lord Tibarn."

"Don't mention it. _Now_ are you all ready to go?"

"Yes, I think it's time to prove to my people that I really do deserve this throne," the queen sighed deeply.

The king laughed. "Now that, that's the kind of talk I like to hear!"

--

"Sister, what are you doing here?" Esmera hissed as a dark-haired young woman approached her as she surveyed Melior from atop a nearby hill.

"I'm here to keep an eye on you, Esmera," the priestess informed her, pushing her brown hair behind her ear to reveal the same violet eyes that her sister possessed. "We wouldn't want you to do anything you'll regret later on, now would we?" she added, pulling a pair of midnight-blue gloves over her hands and up past her elbows. Her pure white dress was straightened before she glanced back up at her sister and began fingering the diamond pendant around her neck.

"What makes you think I would regret this?" the red-head spat, her eyes glowing with annoyance at the woman's presence.

The other girl sighed, "You don't think you'll regret it now, but someday...someday you'll feel differently."

"Sure, whatever you say, Avalon. Why don't you go back to your monastery, or whatever it's called, now?"

"Temple, Esmera. Temple!" The older woman took a deep breath to calm herself before continuing, "Anyway, I won't be going back. If you won't return with me so you can be cleansed of your wrongdoings, then I will have to remain behind to watch over you. It's my duty as your elder sister."

"Ha! Stay here? This is a battlefield and we're in the middle of a war. You aren't going for a walk in a meadow and picking flowers and talking to cute little animals! There's blood here, and lots of it. Someone as frail as you cannot last here," the younger sister laughed.

"I can fight. I'm not as helpless as you think, Sister," the woman stated, clutching her _Ellight_ tome closely.

Esmera scoffed, "Hmph, we'll see, Avalon."

--

"General Geoffrey, I, Fifth Platoon Captain Kieran, am here to inform you that all troops are prepared for battle!" the red-armored paladin exclaimed as he saluted the other man.

"...Thanks..." the general uttered, staring off into the distance.

"General? Is something on your mind? It won't do any of us any good if you're slacking off and daydreaming--n-no disrespect, Sir!" the man stuttered.

"That's correct, Kieran. Hm..." the blue-haired man sighed. "Kieran, we're pretty close friends, right?"

"I-If you wish to consider me a close friend, Sir, then I consider it an honor!" the man exclaimed.

Geoffrey nodded. "Of course. Do you mind if I ask you something then?"

"N-No, not at all, Sir!"

"Well, you see, one of the women in our army has lost both of her parents, and I'm not sure how exactly I should treat her or handle the situation. Everything that's said seems to be wrong, and I just don't know what to do. My mother and father have been around my whole life...they may not have had much time for me or Lucia, but they were always...there, and they still are. But hers...aren't. It just doesn't seem fair," the general explained.

"Well, Sir, that's a tough situation, and one that I've never been in, so I can't really say. I just think that you need to give her time and be patient and understanding with her, you know?" Kieran suggested.

Geoffrey pondered this for a second before smiling. "I guess you aren't as impatient and brainless as people say, Kieran. That was actually pretty good advice."

"Well, thank you, General. I--Wait a minute, who says I'm impatient and brainless?!"

The navy-armored knight scratched his arm nervously. "Oh, you know, those, uh, drunks that don't know anything. Yeah, that's who!"

"I see. Well, Sir, I, Fifth Platoon Captain Kieran, am glad to have been of assistance! I'm sure the queen will appreciate your concern with her as well!"

"W-What? Kieran, I never said anything about--"

"General Geoffrey, Sir, the enemy is advancing towards our position," a Marksman informed the men as he approached.

"Thank you, Sir William. Kieran, make sure that everyone is in their proper position. It's time to fight."

As William ran off to get his men into position and Kieran went to check on the troop's formation, Geoffrey sighed to himself. "Sister, Lord Renning, if it's a fight that you want, it's a fight that you'll get. _This_ is war."

--

_A/N: *hits head on random object* Okay, this chapter got us nowhere. It was supposed to be the actual battle, but all it is is a bunch of conversations... Anyway, next time we _will_ see the battle and maybe learn some more about Avalon. There are also going to be some more OC's introduced in later chapters. Now I'm off to go take care of "Sir William's" dog (hehe)._


	8. De Mortuis Nil Nisi Bonum, Part Four

**Of Peace and War**

**Chapter Eight: De Mortius Nil Nisi Bonum, Part Four**

_**[Say] nothing about the dead but good.**_

_**--**_

The thunderous clomping of hooves sounded through the camp of Queen Elincia as the enemy commander set forth his first attack. Weapons were reached for, helmets were fitted on heads, and nearby horses were mounted as the queen's troops prepared for the collision. The divisions were split up, with General Geoffrey and Sir Kieran in command of the main army, Sirs Jerrell and William leading the left flank, Sirs Eugene and Paul controlling the fate of the soldiers in the right portion of the army, and Queen Elincia herself and Mist of the Greil Mercenaries remaining closer to the castle. As these courageous souls moved into position, a unified feeling of apprehension fell upon the entire camp. Today was the day that would decide their fates; today, one army was to emerge victorious while the other was merely a bruised and battered memory.

--

Former crown prince Renning observed both armies as they were set to attack one another. At his side, the loyal Count Bastian rode determinedly. It was evident to both men that each other feared what was about to happen. Lucia's horse had fallen out of step with their mounts some time ago, as she was meant to keep watch of Esmera. Acting under the false pretense of the woman's bodyguard, the azure-haired swordswoman was supposed to prevent the wicked sage from unleashing her wrath upon those on the battlefield. This task was a risky one, but neither man doubted their love interest's ability to pacify the demented shape shifter's actions. With the necklace she now possessed, this woman could commit deeds so foul that even King Ashnard would be mortified. With Lyle as a puppet, her power was only intensified.

The men rode in silence, though much was on their minds. Now was not a time to discuss such things - the fate of the country was not something to be determined in front of their soldiers. The power of the Necklace of Spirits was not something many of their comrades could comprehend. This necklace was never to be used; within it, a heron had sealed away the corrupted souls of Tellius. If released, only death and destruction would follow in the wake. This prospect was not something either man was willing to risk, and so they knew that keeping Esmera from activating it must be ensured at all costs - even if it meant preventing a valuable ally from joining them in this life-or-death battle.

--

Lucia eyed her surroundings intently. Taking up the rear of the advancing army with Esmera, the sage's sister, and Parsifal, was never something she had intended upon joining her lord's ranks. This woman, the epitome of evil in the eyes of the army, was not a person she had hoped to deal with. Ever since the sage had performed her incantation to store the necklace's contents in Lucia's body, the younger woman had tried to avoid confrontation with Esmera and her followers. With the complete control she possessed over the young sword wielder, the woman could easily harm her, and the girl knew this. Though she would have much preferred to stay by her Lord Renning's side turning this challenging battle, she knew that it was her duty to him to remain out of the conflict and keep Esmera at peace.

The elder priestess turned to face her sister as Lucia inwardly pondered the predicament she had been placed in. In flowing white robes, Avalon rode by her sibling's side complaisantly. The pendant around her neck glittered as it caught rays of emerging sunlight. With seemingly no care in the world, the woman was more a sight for a garden than a battlefield. Yet here she was, this priestess from a temple in Daein, riding into battle on an elegantly groomed white mare. As they emerged on the battle site, Lucia was not the only one with an eye on the redheaded sage; the woman's own sister had her suspicions of her intents, and she was not about to allow her sister to unleash some unknown terror onto the "poor, innocent souls" of the world.

"Avalon," Esmera mumbled bitterly, "you should leave. A battle field is no place for you."

Serenely, the brunette ordered her horse to speed up so she would come up right next to her younger sister's mount. "Esmera, please," she groaned, the façade of her perfectly calm manner slipping, "I am not as weak and helpless as you think. I am a priestess - not some little child! As your elder sister, it is fully my duty to protect you and keep you out of--"

"Save it," the other woman interjected. "I don't need your protection, and I surely don't need you to 'keep me out of trouble.' Any mayhem I want to cause will be carried through; you and your 'divine protection' aren't going to stop me from doing anything. If you really want to do me a favor, get out of here!"

"Esmera, is that really any way to talk to your sister?" the orange-haired general following close behind the women queried.

"Parsifal, you don't _know_ her," the woman groaned in reply. "She shouldn't be here!"

"Should we not accept any ally that would willingly aid us in our plight?" the stoic man asked in the most placid of manners. The action received an intense glare from Esmera.

"She doesn't want to _help_ us, Parsifal! She wants to hold _me_ back!" the woman exclaimed in a disbelieving voice.

"Oh, I most certainly want to help," Avalon informed her sister in a pacific tone. Lucia merely smiled as the three bickered back and forth; she was most certainly overjoyed with the fact that Esmera had something to keep her busy at the moment.

--

The first of the enemy formations was before the young woman's eyes. From atop her mount, Astrid spotted the Duke Renning and his main aggressors, including Count Bastian, within feet of her position. Glancing around at the familiar faces surrounding her, she was met by images of fear and uneasiness. To her right, Oscar audibly sighed. A simple, mumbled "Why?" left the man's lips as he shook his head sadly.

"Sir Oscar," the bow-knight addressed him feebly, "is something the matter?"

"Not particularly," came his reply. "I just wish it hadn't come to this, you know?"

The woman nodded. Indeed, she wished to not fight against her old comrades. Though she had joined the ranks of Crimea not long ago, her connections among the soldiers - including those siding with the duke - were numerous. The battle ahead would prove to be difficult - both physically and mentally - for both armies.

--

The first blow came from a high-commanding officer in the duke's army. His opponent, a transformed beast laguz, easily dodged the blow and ran speedily behind him. With a swipe of her paw, the cat pushed the man's helmet aside and dealt a lethal blow to the back of his head. Geoffrey sighed loudly while the rest of Lethe's comrades stared in awe.

"General?" the cat-woman asked rather impatiently. "Why are you gawking?"

"...If I recall correctly, I do remember explicitly stating to leave as many of the enemies alive as possible..." he reminded her while readying his own lance at sight of more approaching units.

"Bah! This is war!" Lethe exclaimed. "If the fools are attacking us, it is our duty as Gallians to teach them a lesson they shall never forget!" With the beckoning motion of her paw, the laguz army commander signaled the rest of the troops under her command. "Come, brothers, it is now that we fight!"

Geoffrey and Oscar both shook their heads sadly at Lethe and the five other cats under her command as they darted into the enemy position. Lethe was no fool, but her sense of pride was daunting to Crimea's Royal Knights' commander. As her troops rushed to tear the flesh of their enemies, the rest of the soldiers stationed at the main gate stayed put. Kieran unleashed a battle cry and raised his axe above his head, but with a swift smack in the head and disapproving glance from his commander, he, too, was silenced and awaited his chance to strike.

--

The swordswoman dismounted her horse on the hill Esmera had chosen as their post to overlook the battle. Only she, the sage, Avalon, and Parsifal had taken up temporary residence on said hill, and while Lucia intently surveyed the battle, the arch sage sat on the earth childishly toying the trinket around her neck.

"Do you feel powerful?" the woman mumbled to no one in particular. "I sure do." The cackle that followed sent a shiver down Lucia's spine. "Now that I have this necklace, no one can stop me - right, Lucia?"

"Whatever you say, Esmera," the other woman grumbled in reply, fully aggravated by the woman's interruption of her thoughts. Esmera's incessant ramblings made it increasingly difficult for her to concentrate on her survey of the battlefield, and it was completely impossible for her to spot her Lord Renning as he rode to what could be his death - _No, Lucia, you mustn't think such a thing. Renning is strong; he will make it out of this alive._ But what of her brother? If saving Renning's life meant sacrificing that of her brother...was that something she could live with? If Renning emerged the victor, what would become of her Queen Elincia?

A sudden noise in the sky above her prompted her out of her thoughts. In one swift motion, she spun on her heels, blade drawn. The weapon came within an inch of the talons of a large, light brown hawk before the animal backed up. Transforming into a human state, the man slowly flapped his wings, drifting down onto the ground. The woman opposite him instantly sheathed her blade once again, and she breathlessly uttered his name. "Janaff," she whispered.

"Lucia," he returned her greeting, grabbing her hands into his, "have they hurt you? If that duke has done so much as to even lay a finger on you, I'll--"

"I'm fine," she interjected. "Renning hasn't hurt me at all. I-I did this of my own free will," she muttered, her tone a tinge sad, as her eyes fell upon the ground.

The hawk raised her chin to see her face once again. "Why?" he asked simply. "Why would you do such a thing - Elincia needs you!"

"It's...complicated," she explained, "but I'm assisting Her Highness more greatly here than I would be if I was right by her side."

He shook his head. "I don't understand that, but I'll trust you. But if he...ever hurts you, don't hesitate to call for me. I'll come teach him a lesson or two," the hawk said through clenched teeth. "Just shoot a flaming arrow into the sky, and I'll rush to you, Lucia."

"Thank you, Janaff," she whispered, smiling. "You really shouldn't be here, though," she added, motioning towards Esmera, who was still twirling the necklace around her finger. Luckily for the hawk, she was preoccupied with said activity and had yet to notice his presence.

Janaff nodded. "Of course," he muttered. "Be careful, Lucia, and don't forget to call for me if you find yourself in too deep."

--

Lance and axe clashed violently as the young general charged his former commander. Blurs of sky blue and pure white mixed with forest green and jet black in this colorful array of passion as the two generals of the opposing armies faced off. On the side nearer the queen's palace, General Geoffrey daringly jabbed his lance in the direction of the former crown prince. Inching closer to the castle by the minute, Duke Renning held his axe in front of him to strategically parry his opponent's oncoming blow.

To inexperienced onlookers, the men would seem to be out to kill, but each of them knew that the other had no such intentions. With every swift move of his lance, the son of the count of Delbray meant only to push his adversary back, while the other man intended to merely move past his former comrade. The grave looks that played equally upon both of their faces served only to show their frustration with the other for preventing them from accomplishing their goals.

"Geoffrey," the duke muttered through clenched teeth, "this is foolish. You shouldn't be wasting your energy battling me - you're supposed to be protecting my niece!" With further exclamation, he added, "That is the job of the commander of the Royal Knights, is it not? It seems that you have forgotten your position!"

"_Duke_ Renning," Geoffrey countered, making an unsuccessful attempt to knock the weapon from his opponent's hand, "I fear I don't understand where you're coming from anymore. You wage this silly war and then talk about protecting the woman you have so unjustly attacked? You're a fool, old man," he panted, hoping his disrespectful tone would unnerve his elder knight and cause his defense to slip.

"You may not believe it, but this war was not my idea, nor do I wish to continue it. Your sister and my niece are the ones I'm trying to keep safe now. I don't want the throne of Crimea - you should know that," Renning spat back at the boy. "If it wasn't for Lucia being in danger with every move I make, I would gladly sacrifice my own life to end this foolish matter."

Geoffrey's eyes widened at the mention of these last words and he quickly pulled his lance back to his side. "My sister is in danger?" he gasped, instantly worried. His reply from Renning was a slight nod, indicating the knight's worst fear. "What has happened?"

"There's a certain sage by the name of Esmera in my party...I believe you've heard of her?" the man answered in a grim manner. Upon receiving a knowing look from Lucia's brother, he continued, "She captured Lucia when she was in Serenes requesting the aid of King Tibarn...I hadn't know about it, but she threatened to kill her - she would have had Volke not stopped her. She was able to acquire your sister's necklace and is forcing her to fight for us," the duke explained.

"My sister's necklace? I'm afraid I don't understand..." the younger man mused, wondering why a silly trinket could be so important to anyone that they would kill over it.

"I don't have the time to explain at the moment, but there is an object I must get from my niece in order to stop this... Otherwise, Esmera may destroy Tellius," was his cryptic response.

Geoffrey sat atop his mount in shock. "Destroy Tellius? That is...not possible, is it?"

"I'm afraid it is," the duke explained sadly. "That necklace is something else...she's nearly unstoppable as long as she has it. I advise you to stay away from her - if any harm comes to her, I'm afraid that Lucia will not be safe."

"I understand," the general said, adopting his elder's grim tone. "The object which you seek...what is it?"

"The necklace has a counterpart that has the ability to destroy it," the man explained. "It is the necklace with the crystal set in gold that Bastian gave to Elincia right before the Mad King's War. Surely she must still have it..."

Geoffrey sighed deeply, "I haven't seen the necklace since the attack...it may have gotten lost."

Renning shook his head. "No, that can't be possible. We _need_ that necklace to stop her - you must have Elincia look for it. Otherwise," the man warned, "I'm afraid we'll all be doomed."

--

"Ugh, why are they just _talking_? I thought knights were supposed to kill at every turn!" a young boy's voice exclaimed from somewhere in the bushes that surrounded a pathway several feet away from where Generals Geoffrey and Renning were speaking. A rustling was heard before the boy yelped, followed by a hand covering his mouth.

"Be quiet, Aaric," a feminine voice spat quietly, its owner slowly removing her hand from the mouth of her companion. "You're going to let them know we're here."

"Well, we have to join the battle at some point, Madelyne," her partner interjected. "All this sitting and waiting isn't doing us any good."

"We have to wait until the timing is right. That's one thing you myrmidons don't understand...you can't just jump out of a bush and be like 'Oh, we're here!'" Madelyne explained in an unusually chatty manner. "You'll get yourself killed like that."

"Oh yeah? It's not like you thieves are any better," Aaric commented foolishly, receiving a peculiar glance from the girl next to him. "You're always missing or stealing things while your friends are off getting killed."

"It's pointless to argue with you," the girl said simply, ignoring all further comments made by her classmate from Tellius's School for the Gifted. _We'll go when _I_ want,_ Madelyne thought to herself with a laugh.

--

After Janaff's departure, the young woman stood atop the hill, intently watching her brother and Duke Renning discussing some matter. Esmera had finally taken to talking quietly to herself, so no longer were Lucia's thought interrupted by the woman's incessant babbling. Though soldiers were dying all around the castle, the woman could not remove her eyes from her younger sibling and the man she had grown to love. As their weapons had previously clashed, her head was filled with worry that one of them would fall. It was not a scene she could bear to witness, but she was unable to peel her eyes from their figures. Relief swept over her as their weapons were laid down.

Though she was overjoyed to know that they would not fight each other for the moment, she couldn't imagine what Esmera would do if she knew that such a peaceful gesture was taking place. It was evident that the sage would not favor such a prospect, and she would undoubtedly take some action to end it. As much as Lucia would hate to see either of these men take the other's life, she could bear the thought of Esmera doing so even less. To be murdered by your former comrade was one thing, but to fall mercilessly by the hand of a complete stranger was another.

"Girl," a strident voice sounded from behind her, illustrating her previous fears, "please inform your lord that he is not to associate with the enemy. Instruct him to kill that general."

Lucia gasped, "You wish for me to order my own brother killed?" Though she knew the answer and fully expected such a thing, her brain would not register the fact until answered by the woman.

"Hm, I suppose you're in a difficult situation. What to do; what to do..." the woman pretended to ponder the thought for a moment. "Ah, I know. I'll leave the choice up to you - either tell Renning to kill your brother, or tell your brother to kill your lord. Unless," the woman commented with a devilish grin, "you would rather do the deed yourself..."

Lucia shot the sage a half-disbelieving glare. Only this woman would be brazen enough to suggest for her to kill either her brother or the man she loved - then again, the woman probably wouldn't think twice about killing _her_ own sibling. That wretched sage just stood there smiling as the noblewoman debated a way to avoid the task she was faced with. Unable to determine a proper course of action, the swordswoman mounted her horse and mumbled over her shoulder, "You're entirely mad, woman."

--

"Duke Renning, I really can't help you unless I know your sincerity," Geoffrey said suddenly, interrupting the conversation of the necklace that had been given to the queen of Crimea some time ago. "The Duke Renning I knew would never bring harm to Her Highness, but in a time of war, I'm not certain I should drop out of the fight to help you find a silly little trinket."

"Geoffrey, this is preposterous!" the duke exclaimed. "Your sister's life is at stake - I know you don't believe that to be true, but Esmera could kill her with the flick of her wrist! The necklace she possesses, along with her magical talent and the raw energy of the dragon boy Lyle, has the ability to destroy the world as we know it. I'm not just about to sit here and allow that murderous fiend to bring harm to Lucia...I owe her that much after all of this she's already been through," the knight said in an exasperated tone. "You want sincerity and proof of my intentions, do you, boy?" he queried in a rather mocking tone. "Bastian," he called to his second-in-command, "call off the troops. Have them retreat back to Lucia's position."

"Such a good idea does that happen to be? Approval of such an action 'twouldn't likely be granted by--" Bastian's protest was cut off my the duke's raised hand.

"Bastian, please don't question this," the man interjected. "I don't care whether or not Esmera approves of my actions."

"See I, sir," the count responded solemnly. "Inform the troops of the current condition of battle I will. Hope I do that the Lady Lucia will not be sacrificed by such actions..."

--

The young woman rode swiftly toward the central entrance gate of Castle Crimea as though she was being pursued by a band of angry mercenaries. Though she did not wish to deliver the pressing news Esmera had given her, Lucia knew that taking no action could mean the life of both her brother and the Duke Renning. As she urged her mount forward, she could not help but be confused by the current state of the battlefield. In the heart of the battlegrounds, the two opposing generals were dismounting their horses, and - were they shaking hands? Though she could not see but blurry images of the two men from her position, she was nearly certain of this fact.

As further confirmation of what appeared to be the ending of the battle, troops could be spotted from all around the woman's position cheering and celebrating with one another. Healers rushed to those that had been injured - which was relatively few compared to what the trueblade was accustomed to - partially due to the experience of most of the members of both armies, as well as the small amount of time the war had raged on.

_No, not a truce...Esmera will not stand for this... _The reminder of the foul shape-shifter caused thoughts to race through her head at rapid speed. No longer was this mission about attempting to save her sibling and lord, it was about saving all those dear to her. She would not allow any harm to befall the people of Crimea or any other part of Tellius, and thus she urged her mount on, quicker than ever before.

--

"So Renning thinks he can disregard all of my orders, does he?" Esmera commented to no one in particular. Turning around, she addressed the orange-haired general who was standing a mere few feet behind her, "Parsifal, bring me the dragon."

"Of course," the complaisant man replied, starting down the opposite side of the hill to where they had left the Goldoan dragon and his family. Too terrified of losing her source of power, Esmera had requested for Lyle and the rest of the dragons accompanying them to wait in the camp until further notice. They were only to join the battle if they received word that they were needed to prevent defeat of the duke's army.

Once her subordinate was out of sight, the sage turned back around to address her sister. "Avalon," she muttered to the brunette, "you should leave now lest this interfere with your...beliefs. This battlefield is turning into a place that even battle-hardened soldiers should avoid."

Calmly, the older sibling responded, "I will not leave at such a dire time in this battle. With your permission, I would wish to heal our allies so that--"

"There will be no healing of our _pawns_," the younger sibling interjected, brushing her flame-red hair from in front of her eyes. "We have more pressing matters to attend to," she added with a cackling laugh, removing the necklace from around her neck. She fingered the object in her palm, grinning wickedly. "Leave them all to die - they're bound to eventually."

--

The three Crimean nobles in the center of the battlefield were shocked to hear the sound of an approaching horse's hooves upon the ground, thundering with such passionate intensity. A relieved look entered Geoffrey's expression as he saw his sister wildly dismount from her horse: she was safe, though there must be something troubling her. _No,_ he concluded,_ she must just be overjoyed by--_

"Geoffrey!" the azure-haired woman exclaimed, rushing into her brother's outstretched arms. The two onlookers present smiled to themselves at this rather affectionate embrace between the two siblings, knowing how rarely either allowed their façade to slip into a moment such as this.

"Lucia, I'm so glad you're safe," her brother crooned. "They haven't harmed you, have they?"

The woman shook her head. "No, but..." she trailed off with a deep sigh, breaking free from her sibling's grasp and turning to look at her lord. "Duke Renning, I fear that there is a problem."

"A problem? Esmera hasn't...activated the necklace, has she?" the duke said, his tone concerned.

As if on command, a streak of light filled the sky, temporarily blinding those who dared to look into its fiery intensity of solar energy. Those that were quick to think instantly covered their eyes to prevent the irritation that would have otherwise occurred. Geoffrey pulled his sister close, the presence of his shoulder blocking the light from her blue orbs. Then, he and the other two men worked to cover their own eyes with the sleeves of their shirts. The young woman flinched the moment before the light waves disintegrated.

Geoffrey's eyes filled with worry for his sibling. "Lucia, are you all right?" he queried, running his fingers through her mass of long hair.

"I'm fine," she stated simply, turning her attention to her lord. "It appears that my former concern is of little importance at this moment."

He nodded. "Geoffrey, I request that you grant permission for my troops to join yours in the confines of the castle. I ask that you take Lucia inside," he demanded grimly. Turning to his aide, he added, "Bastian, if you will, I would request that you come with me in an attempt to stop Esmera."

"That I shall do, Milord," the count replied in the same solemn tone as earlier.

"My lords," Lucia interrupted, "you really mustn't do such a thing. It's much too dangerous."

"Don't worry about us," her cavalier informed her, already mounting his horse, Bastian following these steps close behind.

Lucia turned to her brother, her pleading blue eyes brimming with tears. Geoffrey kissed the top of her head before moving towards his own mount. "Allow me to join you, Milord," the knight said.

"Geoffrey!" his sister protested, fully ready to remount her own horse and follow them.

Renning shook his head. "Lucia, please, I won't allow you to be caught in the crossfire."

"Please go and inform the queen of recent events," her brother added, certain that Elincia would wonder why she and the rest of the two combined armies were sent into the castle so suddenly.

The woman nodded sadly and took the reins of her horse, leading the animal towards the palace. When she had walked a few feet, Lucia turned around and yelled, "Godspeed," to the departing men. Her lord Renning met her gaze and gave a simple nod, sending her back towards her destination.

Once Lucia had disappeared into the safety of the castle, the three men turned to face one another. With a sigh, their emerald-haired commander informed them, "I hate to say it, but I fear that the worst is yet to come. If we fail to stop Esmera here, I foresee the worst battle we have ever partaken in is ahead of us."

--

The swordswoman stepped lightly in the dimly lit entrance way of Castle Crimea. Though her vision was largely limited, she noticed the piles of light brown feathers scattered along the stone floor; the piercing shrieks of a hawk could be heard from further down the hallway. _What in the world...is that Janaff?_

After tethering her horse to post in the hall and taking a few steps further, and she emerged in one of the castle's lower-floor conference rooms. In this space, the king of hawks and his 'ears' knelt on the ground, restraining the 'eyes' of the group. The latter member of the hawk tribe was screeching and demanding to be freed. From the doorway opposite the woman, one of the heron princes and the queen of Crimea stood, concerned looks plastered on their faces.

"I demand...that you...let go of...me...!" Janaff exclaimed between heavy, labored gasps. "I need...to help...her."

"You're a fool if you think we're going to allow you to sacrifice yourself in such a way," King Tibarn ordered, tightening his grip on his subordinate's shoulder.

"Lucia has her brother to take care of her. She doesn't need some _filthy subhuman_ to come save her," Ulki spat grudgingly. "You're nothing to her."

"It isn't quite so," the woman spoke up, directing everyone's eyes to her. Janaff's entire face lit up as he broke free of his friends' grasp.

"Lucy!" he exclaimed, pulling her into a tight embrace. "I was going to kill that man if allowed anything to happen to you. Wait, why are you crying?"

The beorc struggled free of the laguz's grip and quickly wiped the tears from her eyes. "It's nothing," she muttered, feigning a smile. "It is vital that the armies are informed of what is to come. Unless everyone knows the extent of what is to happen, I'm afraid they won't be of any use to us," she warned, walking towards Elincia. "Your Highness, are you well?"

"Y-Yes, quite well," the woman replied sheepishly. "Are my uncle, Geoffrey, and Bastian safe? No one could find them anywhere...you don't think they're hurt, do you?"

"They remained outside to try to stop Esmera. They should be back inside soon," Lucia informed her, trying to sound reassuring and mask the worry she felt inside. "We'll wait for them before we let everyone know what is happening. Until then, we should probably stay with everyone else...just in case."

"Of course," Elincia nodded, giving her friend a reassuring smile. Our main forces are in the throne room, and the injured have been taken to the second floor."

"I see, and the casualties?" the swordswoman inquired, nervously fingering the hilt of her sword.

"Very few. Everyone is just very exhausted," the queen explained, noting her milk sister's odd behavior. "Are you sure that nothing is the matter, Lucia?"

The woman smiled. "Of course nothing's the matter - should it be?"

"No," Elincia spoke slowly, "but you certainly act as if something is."

"Hm? Nothing is the matter, I can assure you," she tried to sound reassuring so as to not worry her friend. "Everything is just great."

"Lucia, if there is a problem, I would be willing to offer my assistance," King Tibarn cut in, moving closer to the swordswoman. "If you don't think Geoffrey and the others can handle whatever they're doing, you could count on me."

"That's quite a nice gesture, Your Highness, but it is entirely unnecessary. My brother and his team can handle this." _I hope. _"Now, if you wouldn't mind, we should probably head to the throne room. I can't say that it would be favorable for us to stand here until they return."

Janaff flew over to the woman's position and took her arm in his. "Milady, if you would allow me to escort you," he mimicked the beorc customs as best he could.

"Certainly, Milord," the woman replied with a slight curtsy. Turning back to face Elincia, she plastered that same unconcerned look on her face. "Your Highness?"

"I'll be right along," her sister assured her, glancing at Tibarn as if to tell him she wished for him to stay with her.

"As you wish it," Lucia replied with another forced smile. "I would advise that you do not stay out here for much longer, though." With that, the woman and her hawk companion departed the room, heading toward the throne room.

Once she was certain that the two were out of earshot, Elincia sighed deeply. "Lord Tibarn, whatever do you think is the matter with her? She made it ever so obvious that something is amiss...do you suppose that my uncle or one of the others is hurt? And this Esmera character she mentioned...I don't recall ever hearing of her...do you suppose that she's some sort of threat?"

"I wouldn't worry about it," the hawk king replied, brushing a loose strand of hair from in front of the queen's eyes. "Lucia would tell you if she was concerned with something like that. However, if it would please you, I shall send Ulki to assist your uncle. ...You don't mind do you, Ulki?" the man asked, turning toward his 'ears.'

"Whatever you desire," his friend replied simply.

"Then it is settled - we'll go to the throne room to see if Lucia will give us any more information, and you can go check on our companions."

"I'll go too," a melodious voice interjected from the doorway. Those in the party turned in shock to face Reyson.

"Reyson, I don't think that's such a good idea. We don't know what is going on - it could be incredibly dangerous," the hawk explained, hoping to change the heron's mind.

"You treat me as if I am too fragile for this, Tibarn," the heron commented, followed by a shrug. "I handled the last war; I can handle this."

"I go..." a feminine voice sounded from the shadows. A moment later, the beorc queen and three bird laguz were surprised to see the angelic figure of Leanne emerge. The girl turned to her brother. "You go...I go..."

"Leanne, you're not going anywhere," her brother commanded.

"See what you've started, Reyson? Now you even have your sister disobeying me!" Tibarn chuckled. "Leanne, no one aside from Ulki is going. Correct, Reyson?"

The heron grumbled, "Correct."

"Great," the hawk said with a smile. "Ulki, be careful, and meet us in the throne room when you have fulfilled your duties."

--

The throne room was full of commotion when Queen Elincia's party entered. Glancing around, the queen noted that everyone, aside from her uncle, foster brother, dear friend, and the aide to the hawk king, was present. The majority of the Greil Mercenaries had gathered in the far corner of the room, clearly uncomfortable with the current situation. Gatrie and Shinon had taken off to other parts of the room, likely to avoid confrontation after deliberately betraying the group. Elincia recognized the young commander of the group staring out the window opposite her company, visibly troubled about something.

Striding over to her, the queen placed a hand on her shoulder. "Mist," she whispered, "is everything okay? Have you or the other mercenaries suffered any injuries?"

"Hm? Oh, Elincia, I hadn't realized you were there..." the girl trailed off, searching for something out the window. After another moment, she resumed speaking, "We only suffered a few scratches - it was a fairly successful endeavor."

"I'm glad to hear that, but is something troubling you?" she queried yet again.

"No, nothing is troubling me," the brunette replied, turning her full attention back to the landscape outside. "Say," she said suddenly, right as the queen was about to walk away to find her sister, "do you see that light on top of the hill over there?" she asked, pointing to a beam of light in the distance. "Can you tell what it is?"

Elincia moved closer to the window and followed the direction the girl was pointing in. Indeed, there was a light coming from the hill off in the distance. Squinting her eyes, the queen tried to make out the object that was emitting the light. "I...can't tell what it is," the emerald-haired woman muttered. "Janaff, can you come here for a moment?" The laguz flew over to her position swiftly, Lucia and Tibarn following close behind him. "Janaff, do you see that light on the hill? Can you see where it's coming from?"

The hawk glanced out the window, fully unaware that the swordswoman behind him had sighed deeply. "I believe it's a...glowing necklace. There's this woman with glowing violet eyes...she's holding the necklace and muttering some sort of incantation... There's this odd blue and orange array of light surrounding her," the hawk informed them.

"A glowing necklace?" Elincia and Mist said in unison.

"It's called the Necklace of Spirits," Lucia informed them. "Esmera got a hold of it and is using it to her own advantage. If it is currently glowing, then she is likely activating it...Duke Renning must have been too late to stop her."

"Necklace of Spirits?" King Tibarn said, barely suppressing a gasp. "I thought it had been destroyed years ago..."

"That was what Duke Renning and Count Bastian led everyone to believe. Esmera apparently did some research and discovered that the necklace was in my possession. I didn't know what it was, or what it was capable of doing," the woman further elaborated. "Now that she has it, I'm unsure if we'll be able to stop her."

The hawk king pondered on this for a moment before realizing the solution. "The Necklace of Dreams...surely Renning would know where that is as well."

The azure-haired woman sighed. "I'm uncertain of its whereabouts. If he knows of its location, he hasn't told me."

"This might be more of a lost cause than I expected," Tibarn muttered more to himself than to those around him. "Mist, Janaff, what is that woman doing now?"

"The light has intensified...there's a strange tint to it now," Mist mumbled, squinting her eyes to get a better look. "It looks as if everything is deep crimson."

"Yes, it has definitely altered the color scheme of things," Janaff agreed. "It looks like - oh no, everyone--"

Before the hawk could even finish his warning, a light brighter than the last engulfed the space around them. Those that attempted to shield their eyes barely found any relief from the burning sensation that followed. Only those with the keenest eyes were able to see anything at all as this light wrapped itself around them. As the light slowly faded, Mist found herself clutching to the windowsill for dear life, too weak to stand on her own. Janaff had pulled Lucia to him tightly, his incredibly perceptive vision sacrificing itself to be blinded rather than allow her to share such a fate. Elincia and Tibarn had scrambled halfway across the room to help Reyson and Rafiel try to soothe their sobbing younger sister.

This wave of overall blindness passed as the light continued to fade, but before the occupants of the room were able to find any relief, another wave of color spread over them. Deep reddish-purple clouds swirled in through the windows, submerging the air in a thick gas-like substance. The lungs of the warriors filled with this substance, making it increasingly hard for any of them to breathe. The queen of Crimea's foster sister had collapsed to the ground upon this second wave of forced effect from the activation of the necklace. The hawk beside her had dropped to the floor with her, cradling her in his arms as she cried from the pain. Elincia tried to rush to her friend, but Tibarn pulled her back, shaking his head. "There isn't anything you can do for her right now. Esmera has found a way to use her as a storage site for the spirits, and her pain won't end until the spell is complete," the hawk king explained. "If you feel the need to do something, find a staff to heal her with when this is all over with, and warn our troops that a grave battle lies before us."

The woman nodded, stunned. "I see," she murmured. "After the rebellion, I promised to never allow Lucia to be hurt at my hands again...I fear I haven't been able to keep that promise." Stealing one more glance at her closest friend, the woman rushed to the supply room in search of a staff. As the lighting in the room turned back to normal, Tibarn left Leanne's side to kneel down next to Lucia.

"Janaff, you really shouldn't watch what is about to happen," the man warned, placing a hand to the swordswoman's cheek.

A puzzled expression appeared on the hawk's face. "What do you mean, Tibarn? She...She's going to be fine, right?"

"She will be all right, after a time...unless Esmera decides otherwise. Here," he said, picking Lucia's body up in his arms and laying her on the stone floor beside him. "You're a brave girl, Lucia. This will all be over soon."

The king of Phoenicis swiftly averted his friend's gaze from the woman as a large cut appeared on her left cheek, dark black liquid oozing from it. Similar marks appeared on her sword arm, neck, and left ankle until the ground around her was covered in this blood-like substance. Janaff's eyes were kept off the woman further as her own blood began to drip from her fingertips, the deep red color creating swirls of warmth in the puddles around her. The king watched the woman wince as her wounds slowly closed once more, leaving no scars save on her cheek.

As this act was discreetly completed, a vortex of sounds pierced the air. Those not listening for anything in particular heard violent gusts of wind raging upon the castle. Those trained ears that dreaded the sounds to come heard a different tune - to these poor souls, the roar of a lion and screech of a dragon were heard above all else.

Lucia closed her eyes to concentrate only on those dear to her.

_Brother..._

A masculine scream pierced the air as the woman slowly drifted out of consciousness. It was distinctly her brother's voice.

_My Geoffrey..._


End file.
